Hunters
by MoonPrincess623
Summary: The 4th Shinobi War was brutal & every1 changed. Death isn't through w/ the survivors & they find themselves 12 years old again. Naruto & 6 war vets are caught in the middle of a war that they don't belong in...or do they? FULL SUMMERY INSIDE
1. Chapter 1

**DISCAILMER**: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO; but I own the OCs in this story, so don't go stealing!

**MOON SAYS:** Oh my gosh, I'm finally publishing this, aren't I? I've sat on this story for over a year now. I had wanted to complete it before uploading it, but it keeps giving me the evil eye, you know? So here it is, halfway done. There are 12 chapters total. With each release of a new chapter, that means I have written the next chapter in the second half. So, hoepfully, by chapter 7 I will have the story completed. Or sooner...depending on my other stories!

**SUMMERY:** The 4th Shinobi War was brutal and everyone changed. Yet Death isn't through with the survivors, the Kage's are thrown out of balance and they find themselves twelve years old again. Naruto and six other war survivors are caught in the middle of a war that doesn't have anything to do with them…or does it?

**PAGES: **12**  
**

**WORDS: **6, 013

**POSTED: **September 22, 2010**  
**

**ENJOY!**

**~~Hunters~~**

**Chapter 1**

The journey from Suna to Konoha was boring as it always was during the fall.

Gaara was traveling with his siblings: Temari and Kankuro. He also had following them from the shadows an ANBU squad. It was the curse of being Kazekage; always having someone following you.

His brother and sister were talking, and arguing as usual, and he didn't feel like getting in on that. Over the years his siblings had become more accepting and nice to him. It was all thanks to Naruto Uzumaki; his first friend and, now, fellow Kage.

He still remembered it like it was yesterday that Kage Meeting, the first and last one Danzo attended. During that meeting Sasuke Uchiha had killed the new Hokage. Seconds after Naruto rushed in and knocked the last Uchiha—known one—unconscious.

Since Danzo hadn't been Hokage for long, and hadn't been voted on either, he was not the true Rokudaime. But they were a Kage short. Gaara, with all his brilliantness, suggested Naruto; he had saved his village from Pein, the Leader of Akatsuki, just days before.

The other Kage's agreed to his suggestion. But they still had to do something about the idiotic Uchiha. Naruto, being the Kage of the Village that he ran from, had total say. Being the friend and good person that he was, he pardoned him by making up some shitty excuse that no one really brought about him being a spy among Orochimaru.

It soon proved to be a great action. Not long after Akatsuki struck with everything it had. Many were lost, many were saved. Uchiha was one of the main players against Akatsuki. Uchiha lived, so did Naruto and Gaara.

That pink haired girl on Naruto's team was one of the first to die. Not all, but some of the Konoha Twelve kicked the bucket as well. The two Hyuuga's still lived. The female was the Head Medic in Konoha, while the male went to the ANBU. He and Uchiha were in charge of the ANBU, with Uchiha in charge of the Hokage's safety.

The dog boy died by the Mist Ninja that looked like a fish, and so did his dog. The blonde girl was with him, but managed to kill off the enemy before she croaked herself.

The fat ninja was partnered with the bug user and they both died; but not before they took down an Akatsuki member that looked like a plant.

The brown headed girl who fought with Temari during the Chuunin Exams, and Rock Lee survived, but had to quit being Ninja's. They were far too injured to continue their Ninja life. Last time Gaara checked the two had married and was starting to open a Taijutsu Training Center and a Shinobi Weapon Shop.

The lazy genius had married Temari, but was fine with their long distanced marriage. He was also advisor and head strategist for the Hokage.

Five years had passed since the Akatsuki war. Naruto, lucky bastard that he always was, still had the Kyuubi inside of him. But half the time Kyuubi wasn't inside the seal. Sometimes the blonde Kage took pity on the Demon Fox and let it out. Even though Jiraiya, the perverted sage was dead, Konoha still heard screams from the bath house. Not as often, this was a Demon after all, and only got caught by ANBU females. Or Naruto, for that matter, but it was only when he passed by the bath houses himself.

"So, what are you going to get Naruto?" Temari asked, interrupting his musings over the past.

Gaara tilted his head to the left toward his sister. "What?"

Temari shook her head, with a little disappointed look on her face, but amusement soon took over. "Naruto's birthday was almost two weeks ago! How can you forget his birthday?"

"Yes, how can you when he sends you thousands of scrolls asking what you're getting him?" Kankuro asked as he laughed.

Gaara took in his siblings words. "You are right; I don't know why I forgot. Maybe, it's because I have a jealous secretary who thinks I am having an affair with him." The red head glared at his older brother who was trying to contain his laughter. "Why on earth did you appoint me a secretary who was in lust with me?"

Temari hit her puppet using brother on the back of the head. "Idiot! That bitch could be stealing important documents out of jealously!" she gave Gaara a sympathetic look. "Just fire her when you get home. If you don't want to," she said as she saw the look on his face. "I can do it for you."

Gaara nodded, but didn't say anything back. They were almost to the Village by now. Already they could see the wall that surrounded Konoha. It took three years to re-build Konoha, but Naruto did it.

It didn't take long once they passed the gate to get to the Kage Building. The building looked the same as it did when Gaara was here for his first Chuunin Exam, as a contestant. This time he was a judge.

~XX~

"So where is my present?" Naruto, the sixth Hokage, asked with his familiar grin covering his face as Gaara and his siblings walked into the Hokage's office.

Gaara chuckled as both his siblings snorted. "Is that the first thing you say to someone who hasn't seen you in half a year?"

Naruto looked thoughtful for a moment before he nodded his head. "Of course it is! Don't tell me you forgot. Gaara, come on, we have known each other for eight years! You know when my birthday is, just as I know yours." The sun kissed Hokage said. Then he muttered as an afterthought, "Of course it took months of spying and prying."

Gaara couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping, like many others in the room.

He took in his friend. Naruto's hair had grown longer; it was to his shoulders now. He had hair falling from his forehead to the bottom of his eyes, and almost all day he would brush them out of the way. But Naruto never minded or cared.

As always, Naruto was lean and fit, with some decent sized muscles. His upper arms were ripped, especially after he started hard core training before and after the Akatsuki War. Everyone was like that now, even Shikamaru had toned muscles. Though they never used their great strength, all the old Konoha Twelve—the ones that were left of course—could hit like Tsunade without the Charka help that Sakura had needed.

Gaara and everyone else—not to mention Konoha—were beyond glad that Naruto had dropped all of the bright orange. The blonde Shinobi had tight black pants and a black muscle shirt that clung and fitted him snugly. And in red, was the Leaf symbol on his chest.

He had boots with kunai's hidden in them; they went as high as the regular Shinobi scandals went. His Kage Coat was black with dark orange flames at the bottom. It also had his symbol, the Uzumaki Spiral, on the back. He had dark orange, almost red gloves on his hands. He didn't forsake the orange all the way, just changed the bright to dark.

Naruto's eyes had changed more than his clothes. They were dull compared to his laughing eyes that once connected with his wide smile. But now, after the war, and after losing almost everyone he cared for, there was no more shine to his eyes. They would spark when he was with those he trusted most, but not like they had once been.

But it wasn't just him war did that too, everyone felt it.

Gaara, like Naruto, wore tight black pants that clung to him like Raman and Naruto.

At least that hadn't changed about his old friend. The baka still ate too much Raman.

The red head had blood red gloves that could be seen coming out of his Kage Coat when he reached or extended his arm. His Kage Coat was black, but instead of flames it had sand trickling down in little groups, while on his back was his symbol: his gourd. But, his actual gourd was blocking the symbol from being seen.

Instead of the tight black muscle shirt Naruto had, Gaara had a blood red one, with a black Sand sign on it. Like Naruto, he had boots; his were red while Naruto's were black. They had spent two months designing them.

Now Gaara's hair had only changed a little, his bangs and hair had grown out. That was all. It was still spiky, but so was Naruto's.

Naruto sighed, more dramatic than anything. "Come on, Gaara, it's the twenty second. Twelve days past, do you or do you not, have a present for me?"

Gaara, having known his friend a long time, knew that he wasn't serious about presents. To Gaara, he knew he was the only person to fully understand Naruto, more so after the war. He knew that deep down Naruto didn't want anything; he really didn't want to be Hokage. This was just another façade he put up.

Instead of answering, Gaara distracted his friend. "How many advanced this time?"

It didn't take long for Naruto to switch gears."Not as many as with us." The Hokage stopped as he pondered something. "Only twelve teams passed the first exam, four teams passed the second and only four Ninja are in the finals. Three of those Ninja are from the same team."

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow. "That's the lowest number of teams ever to pass. How many made it out of the Forest of Death alive?"

Naruto's eyes clouded over as they narrowed. "That's the thing. Out of the eight teams that failed, only two were found alive, four were and are still missing and two were found butchered."

Temari cut in then. "Have you done background checks on all the passing ones? Mainly the two who were missing? What about the ones who passed?"

Naruto shook his head. "All were clean. The thing was that out of twelve teams there were two Leaf, two Sand, and one Rock and Mist that had passed and moved onto the second exam. But there were two Villages I had never heard of: Vicis and Eruo. There were five Eruo Teams, and one Vicis that entered the Chuunin Exams, all made it to the Second Round."

"Which ones were alive, missing and dead?" Kankuro asked, he didn't bother to hide his curiosity.

"The two that were found alive, but knocked out, were the other Leaf and Sand Teams that didn't make it to the preliminaries." A deep voice from the shadows said. "The four that weren't found, but were missing, were the ones from the Eruo Village. The ones that were butchered were the two teams from Mist and Rock."

The shadow walked into the light and they saw it was Uchiha. He walked over to the wall that was to the left of the Hokage. The raven leaned up against the wall and with a quick glance to the right to look at how his Hokage was reacting.

Naruto's face looked grim.

Shikamaru walked in and told Naruto that his analysis just got finished.

"Tell them about the preliminaries and your analysis." Naruto ordered Shika. It was obvious that he was in, what many dubbed, Hokage mode.

"The ones that went on and did the preliminaries were one Team each from Sand and Leaf, one Eruo team, as well as one Vicis Team. The first match was between Sand and Leaf; it turned out to be a tie." Shika told them.

Gaara looked up at Naruto to see a small grin when their eyes connected.

"The ones that went on, it was our Teams were they not, Naruto?" Gaara asked.

Naruto's grin widened, but it wasn't like one of his old ones that reached his eyes. This one was the closest though. "Of course, I found it ironic that the first match was mine verses yours."

Gaara chuckled. "It seems they are a match, are they not?"

"Can I go on?" Shika rolled his eyes at the two Kage's antics. It happened every time they met, always comparing their students.

A few nods later he continued.

"The second was between Eruo and Sand, Eruo won. The Eruo Ninja was male, and used purely Taijutsu. It wasn't like any style I know. The end result was the Sand Ninja almost getting beaten to death. If it wasn't for the proctor, the Sand Ninja, Rathan, would have died." Shika eyes darkened at what he told them.

Kankuro's fist clenched. Rathan was his student. How dare someone almost kill him like that? But what got Kankuro the most was that Rathan was an expert against Taijutsu. The Gennin Ninja was powerful, passed Chuunin level, so how did he get beat?

The Sand Team was comprised of Temari, his and Gaara's students. The Leaf Team was made of Naruto, Sasuke and Neji's students. It was always a competition between them. It kept the last few years interesting, and didn't let them brood over things better left alone.

"It gets better. For the third match, it was Leaf against Vicis. This one was less brutal, but I am afraid it may leave more mental damage than not. The Vicis Ninja used Genjutsu against Kaykura. Kay, from what I know with the training I helped her do, is better than Kurenai. But what totally threw me off was the fight that while Kay was under the Genjutsu, she still fought as if she wasn't under one. Even I can't figure out what happened."

Neji—who entered the room when Shika started talking about his student—narrowed his eyes. "She can't either, she doesn't understand what happened. From what I gathered was that the Genjutsu messed with her mind, making her think that she was fighting the battle, but wasn't. What if the Genjutsu slowly weakened the opponent's mind, while the caster was busy weakening it physically? The mind is fighting a battle at the same time the body is, but on different levels."

Shika nodded. "That was what I was thinking, but it sounded weird even for me. After this, come with me and tell me what you think of my notes."

Neji nodded and crossed the room so that he was leaning up against on the wall opposite of Sasuke and on the other side of his Hokage.

"The fourth fight was between Eruo and Leaf. Theenala fought against a brutal Fire wielding Ninja from Eruo, and she lost because—this is going to sound impossible—he used Fire. But tell me how, how can she lose when Sasuke—the emo, who has a Fire Stick up his butt, trained her—even more so when she controls many Water Jutsu? Her affinity is Water, is it not? Fire's weakness is Water, so how did Fire win?" Shika asked as he looked thoughtful.

"She wouldn't really tell me about the fight. It was more as if she couldn't. It was as if the Fire did something to her. I can't figure it out, maybe there was some poison inside of the Fire?" Sasuke asked before he continued on. "I know enough Chemistry to know that if you mix something with something then that first something's weakness may not be that anymore." The raven saw the looks the others were giving him and sighed. "If you mixed Fire with some type of poison, the Fire's weakness may not be Water anymore, simply _because_ the poison changed its composition."

Shika sighed and muttered his signature word and flinched a second later, thinking Temari was going to whack him. Unlike all the times before, she didn't. Instead she asked him something.

"What about the fifth fight, it was with my student wasn't it?" Temari asked her lazy husband.

Said lazy husband nodded. "Cinaka didn't stand a chance and she knew it. Her Wind Sword was not enough to beat the Vicis Nin. This one was too fast, so Cinaka didn't have a chance to use it. This Vicis Nin was faster than Lee was. I have never seen a Gennin that fast before, maybe a Jounin, but a Gennin?"

"Lee was really fast when he was a Gennin and he beat my sand." Gaara reminded him. "But of course, he was training with the crazy Gai," Gaara added with a roll of his eyes. His words brought a few smiles out. "So if this Vicis Ninja was faster than him, there was no chance Cinaka could have stood against him."

"What about the last one?" Kankuro asked. "It was Vicis against Eruo."

Shika's eyes darkened. "I have never seen anything more brutal in my life. Those two were trying to massacre the other. I always knew that some Gennin that went into the Chuunin Exams, were stronger then both those levels, but this? This was Special Jounin or beyond."

Gaara frowned. "From what you said before the Vicis Ninja won."

Shika snorted, "Please, that wasn't winning, that was torture. That Eruo ninja didn't stand a chance. The Vicis was _playing_ with the Eruo."

Temari let out a gasp before she could stop it. Everyone turned to her. Shika's eyes widened at his wife, he knew that gasp...and it wasn't a 'give me more!' gasp, either. "What did you figure out?"

"You said all of Leaf and Sand failed, that meant that there were two Eruo and Vicis going on. That means that the first one was a tie, a double knock out. And that last Vicis annihilated the Eruo one. So that's five that goes on. Why did you say four before?" Temari asked calmly. Something she didn't feel right.

Shika didn't answer her, instead, Naruto did. "Yes, the whole Vicis Team goes on, but only two from the Eruo Team makes it to the final. We were informed today—a few hours before you came—that one of the Eruo Team is dead."

"Who told you?" Gaara asked his blonde friend.

Naruto's eyes took on a dark look. "It was the Vicis Ninja that brutally killed the Eruo Ninja in the prems."

"Did Vicis say anything else?" Gaara questioned.

Naruto hesitated a second. "I asked, and when I did the Vicis Ninja paused. I know that one of the Ninja's rules is secrecy but…I didn't get the answer I wanted, or one that I really understood."

Neji snorted. "It wasn't a real answer."

"It was real, but what I want to know is why would the Vicis Ninja try to protect you, Hokage-sama?" Shika inquired, forgetting that Naruto hated titles.

Gaara watched in amusement when Naruto stiffened at the title. The red head ex-Jinchūriki decided to humor his friend.

"What was said?"

"You'd be better off not knowing. The less you know, the safer you are." Naruto replied. "But what is that I need to know less of: The Eruo Ninja or the Vicis Ninja? Or something else entirely?" Naruto mused.

"I don't want to know," Shika responded. "If they are that strong, and they are fighting against something that they need to murder, brutally at that, then I don't want to get involved."

Silence ensued among the old friends.

Predictably, it was Naruto that broke it.

"Get some sleep guys; I will see you tomorrow at the finals." Naruto told them before he turned around to his bookshelf and start leafing through it to find a book that would help him think.

As Gaara closed the door he heard the last Uchiha yell.

"DOBE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU READING THAT SHITTY PORN BOOK FOR? I THINK I NEED TO GO KILL KAKASHI! AND BRING THAT PERVY SENSEI OF YOURS BACK FROM THE DEAD AND KILL HIM TOO! THEY ARE BAD INFLUENCES ON YOU!"

Gaara chuckled, something he could only do around Naruto and his friends. Before he was completely out of ear shock he heard skin smack against skin and two loud OI's! It probably was the Hyuuga getting them both into gear.

Of course, Gaara knew that Naruto would never tell his friends why he read those books. Reading the Icha Icha Paradise books helped calmed him down. It reminded him of his sensei and let him think clearer. It also helped Naruto think along the lines of what Jiraiya would.

But he would never tell his friends. Why? It was so much easier to keep stuff like that to yourself. That and it came with a ready excuse. He did have two teachers that were really involved with those books. One was an avid reader and the other the writer.

~XX~

The Chuunin Exam Stadium was packed like no other year before it.

Those that remembered the time Orochimaru invaded knew that this would be the perfect slaughter, but of course they knew that would never happen. They had two of the strongest Ninja that lived, were Kage's, and were in the Stadium. Who were they to fear when they had those protectors?

~XX~

Gaara and Naruto sat up in the Kage box. Kakashi may have been well into his thirties, but he was still strong and fit enough to be the proctor for the third exam. He was one of the lucky few Ninja that made it to that age, especially since he was as famous and strong as he was.

There were three Gennin Ninja standing next to him. One was missing; it made Naruto and Kakashi laugh after they shared a look.

"Remind you of any one during our Chuunin Exam, Sasuke?" Naruto asked softly to the ANBU with a raven mask behind him.

Neji, in his sparrow mask, remand silent as he stood guard next to Sasuke, both were behind Naruto's seat.

"You wouldn't mean me, would you dobe? You should have known that, or are you getting old in your old age? Is that paperwork making your eyesight diminish?" Sasuke teased.

"He doesn't go second does he?" Gaara asked before the two would start fighting. "Who is this one? Is it the one with Genjutsu, Taijutsu or the one who killed the Eruo brutally?"

Naruto looked down at the Vicis Ninja and was searching. "The Taijutsu and the Genjutsu are done there. The last one isn't here yet. From what I remember a month ago, that one goes last."

Gaara nodded in approval. "I want to see that fight."

Sasuke made a noise in his throat, a mix between a hum and an hm sound. "What did that one look like?"

Naruto smirked and he knew that Sasuke saw it. "Just wait and see."

~XX~

The first match begun shortly after that, Kakashi focused his one visible eye on the two Vicis Ninja that stayed behind. The Eruo one disappeared and reappeared on the balcony above.

"Lezara versus Peyowa, begin!" Kakashi called out as he jumped back a few feet.

No one really remembered who was who.

One had hair the color of blood that went down to the waist. Neither this one nor the other had a headband, a hitai-ate. But the symbol of their Village was on her right sleeve. The red head Ninja's sleeve went down to her elbow and then the rest to her gloves were mesh, both arms were like this. The gloves were the same color as her hair. Her shirt was half fish net half cloth. The upper half around her boobs were dark red, while below her chest was mesh that went down to her stomach.

She had a skirt that matched the color of the upper half of her shirt. Her legs were covered with bandages, while her feet were covered in something that was half boot half scandal.

Her eyes were what stood out the most. They were all natural in their blood red glory. While her eyes were bright red, her teammates were dark black. She was at least five foot seven, while her teammate was a few inches taller at five foot nine. She had ample curves in all the right places.

Ero-Sennin would have had a fit!

The other one was male and had the symbol of his Village on the left sleeve of his shirt. His sleeves did not go past halfway between his elbow and his shoulder. His arms were bare, except for tattoos with black ink. Black was the color of his clothing. He wore long, tight fitting, leather pants.

His shoes were the same as his teammate. Both wore a coat that stopped at their thighs, which they threw off as soon as Kakashi said begin.

"Are we going to play?" the red head woman asked in a light yet husky voice.

"I was not given any orders, so do what you want," The man with hair as black as night, shrugged at his teammate's question.

The woman sighed. "What I want to do, we can't do." She stopped as she thought of something. "What are we supposed to do here?"

Kakashi, thinking that the woman was asking him this, answered. "You two are supposed to fight each other."

The two blinked. "Were what?" they asked together.

Kakashi frowned as he watched their reactions. "You did not know this?"

They shook their heads as one.

"Were you listening when the third round was being explained?"

They shook their heads at the same time again.

Kakashi sighed and waved a hand at them. "It doesn't matter now. Just fight you two, until someone gives up or is dead."

The red head narrowed her eyes. "I will not take orders from someone who is not my Mistress. So watch your mouth you stupid, weak, _motogo_ hum—" she was cut off by her teammate hand on her shoulder.

"_Shut up_!_" _he hissed at her. "Do not give us away," he whispered in her ear.

The woman nodded and closed her mouth. She would not be the one to betray her Mistress. Never. Her Mistress was too important, both to her and her teammate. Her life was worth more than theirs. Their love for her was that great.

~XX~

**Kit, did that woman just say motogo?**

_Yeah she did. Why? Do you recognize the word?_

The Kyuubi was silent for a moment.

**That word is something I haven't heard since I was in the Demon Word. **

Naruto stiffened in his seat. Everyone around him raised their guard. If the Jinchūriki sensed something, then something was wrong.

_What does the word mean?_

**I cannot translate the word into your human language. But let's just say it is a huge insult, a curse so to speak. Demon's killed other Demons if they were called that. Think of it as someone telling you that you aren't worth shit and won't even kill you. You aren't worth anything. That you should just give up and die. But at the same time telling you to die, they think it is beneath them to touch you. Of course, it isn't exactly that, more dark so to speak. **

_How does she know this word? Is she a Demon?_

Kyuubi didn't respond, and he wasn't going to. He recognized that symbol on the two's arms. If he said anymore he was going to betray someone. Someone he would whether destroy the world or die before he did. But the great Fox Demon couldn't help but feel curious at what was happening.

Something his host didn't like.

~XX~

"What are we going to do? Are we just going to stand here?" the Vicis Ninja asked his fellow Ninja.

The woman closed her eyes, knelt down, and touched one hand to the Earth and one to the sky. She channeled Charka through her body. It wasn't even five seconds before her eyes snapped open.

"I forfeit."

Before anyone had time to react she grabbed the man and jumped with him to the top of the arena wall. Three seconds later the arena was filled with dust because something crashed into it seconds before.

It didn't take it long to clear. When the dust and smoke cleared it revealed a woman with long blonde hair that kissed her ankles and framed her face parted to the left. Her blonde hair had black and red streaks running through it. Her purple eyes were what drew attention to her. Her clothing did as well, but more so with her hair and eyes.

Her boots went up to her knees, blacker then the man on the wall's hair. She dressed similarly to the Vicis Ninja. She had gloves on, black like the man's. But her arms were covered in mesh from the end of her gloves to about five inches from her shoulders. She sported a tank top that was blood red, but was cut off an inch below her breasts, showing the fish net covering her stomach.

Her skirt was black with red slashes on it. Those who were inexperienced with death thought it to be some new type of flame design, but those who knew death and courted it like a lover, knew it was supposed to be blood. The skirt went halfway down her thighs, but there were shorts—one couldn't see them well—under it.

The woman ignored everyone and everything, except what she was starting at. Her attention was on the thing that was inside of the carter made by her.

When it rose it looked like a bloody mess of the Eruo Ninja that was standing on the balcony. When Naruto, Gaara, and everyone else looked up there a poof cloud was seen.

~XX~

"Is that the third Vicis member?" Gaara asked unemotionally.

Naruto didn't respond, he just nodded his answer. How could he not tell that the Eruo ninja was a clone? And why was the Vicis Ninja trying to kill another Eruo Ninja?

~XX~

"You knew you couldn't run from me, so why did you try?" the woman with her tricolor hair spoke harshly, yet there were no emotions in her voice.

"I wasn't running from you," the Eruo Ninja on the ground spat at her. "Why would I run from _you_?"

That drew the last straw for the female Shinobi on the arena wall. There was only so much she could take and her Mistress knew that. Why did people have to keep insulting her Mistress? If they were _there_ then that offense was punishable by death.

She was next to the blood stained thing that was still in the crater and kicked his head. He flew quickly into the arena wall in front of her. Sickening cracks were heard as he collided with the wall.

"Lezara," The woman next to her called her name softly.

Lezara knelt in front of her. "Yes, Mistress?"

"I need to get information from him. If I wanted him dead, he would be dead." Lezara's Mistress chided her, her voice gone gentle from the harsh tone she took with her enemy.

"Of course, Mistress, forgive me." Lezara said; her head bowed in respect.

Peyowa jumped off the wall and knelt down beside his teammate.

"Mistress, I beg your forgiveness for not watching her like I promised. Forgive me," Peyowa asked of his Mistress.

She waved her hand at them as she walked over to the Eruo Ninja embedded inside of the wall. When she reached it, she noticed by his Charka that he was almost unconscious. Now that would not do at all. She grabbed his hair, which went to his ears, and yanked back.

"Nothing like pain to bring you back to the world of the waking," the third member of the Vicis Gennin Team said philosophically.

"Tell me who you were sent for, if not me?" her tone was icy now.

The Eruo Shinobi in front of her refused to speak.

"Do not make me force you to tell me. I shall go easier on you if you confess."

He still wouldn't say anything.

The woman sighed. "I warned you."

She pulled him up by his white hair and watched as he struggled not to cry out in pain. She turned around, facing the two who call her Mistress, lifted him higher with her left hand while her right reached behind her back, grabbed something near her left shoulder blade and pulled upward. A sword suddenly appeared.

"I did warn you." She told him once again, before she rammed it into him.

His screams echoed throughout Konoha. She hadn't even started.

She twisted the blade, moved it up, down, and sideways. The white headed Eruo Ninja screams were getting louder as her body was getting bathed in his blood. After only five minutes she pulled it out and shoved it in his leg. After two minutes of sawing from the middle of the leg she cut it off. Then she went to the other one.

After she was done with both legs she dropped him.

"Are you ready to tell me?"

He nodded frantically.

"Good, now just think if you would have told me sooner."

He chose to ignore her words as he told her what she wanted to know.

"My partner and I were aiming for the two Kage's." The Eruo Ninja sobbed out as the pain was really getting to him. "Please, I told you, don't kill me like you promised!"

~XX~

Gaara, Naruto, and their friends had been listening and watching the fight carefully. They ignored the Shinobi of Konoha taking everyone in the seats of the arena to safety once she appeared. They had seen and heard everything that was said.

And they knew what was going to happen after he pleaded with her to keep his promise.

~XX~

The woman blinked as she heard his words. "When did I ever say I was going to let you live?" her eyes as well as her voice narrowed at her next words. "I never let my enemies live after they have broken the laws."

With that said she cut off his head.

"I just said I would go easier on you." She turned to her two companions and asked. "Did I say I was going to spare him?"

They laughed at her words, as if she was joking with them.

"Don't joke Mistress. You know we cannot leave them alive." The red head woman said with affection in her voice.

As Lezara spoke, her Mistress shook her sword of the blood a few times. It didn't get all of it off she held it out and Peyowa did a few fast hand signs and it was gone. She put it back where she got it: behind her left shoulder blade in a sheathe that had seals of invisibility on it.

The tricolor haired woman gave a small smirk as she walked toward them. "I knew that, he didn't. It just goes to prove that when someone is desperate, they will hear what they want to hear."

Peyowa chuckled, "I concede, you win Mistress."

When she reached Lezara and Peyowa Naruto and Gaara jumped down behind them with Sasuke, Neji, Shika, Temari and Kankuro behind them.

Flashing dull blue locked with vacant vibrant violet eyes. "Is this what you were talking about? You want to protect me from them?"

Those amethyst eyes blinked three times. "I didn't know they were after you until—"

She cut herself off with a curse as her eyes took on an animated form. With a brief horrified look consuming her face she rushed forward, her hands stretching out toward Gaara and Naruto. Wind pushed them off their feet; a huge Chakra attack knocked her on top of them. Those that were behind the two Kage's were off their feet as well.

"MISTRESS!"

A bright pink flash of light surrounded everyone as the attack engulfed all of them. It filled and seeped into their skin, their very being. It merged with their Chakra, and what seemed like their soul.

When the pink light went away, some of them noticed that they were still blinded by the light and were still seeing pink.

_To be continued..._

And that is that! Tell me what you think, good bad? Want more? Clink that Review button and tell me!_  
_


	2. Chapter 2

**MOON SAYS: **Well, sorry it took so dang long! I had planned to do this yesterday...but Claymore kind of stole my attention. I finally watched the anime! See, I had read up to volume 13, maybe 14 a few years ago...but I'm just not getting back into it! Thanks for being patient. I hope this explains a good bit!

_**IMPORTANT:**_ Do you like long chapters? If so, tell me! I am doing a poll about it. It seems that chapter 6 and on are half of what all the others are and it bugs me...so if you want longer chapters (which mean less in the long run) tell me!

**PAGES: **13**  
**

**WORDS: **6, 726**  
**

**ENJOY:**

**~Hunters~**

**Chapter 2**

It took them a moment to realize where they were. They were in the square, in the middle of a vicious crowd that wanted to tear them apart.

But what confused them was that no one would dare hurt them. Everyone knew that they were the most powerful Hunters in their World, and they were under the protection of their Mistress…so what was going on?

The last time they were inside a crowd that wanted to rip them apart was nine years ago. That was before they met their Mistress. That was before their Mistress trained with them in the arts of being a Hunter.

Lezara reached out and grabbed Peyowa's hand and squeezed. That drew their attention and eyes toward the other. Something was wrong, very wrong. How could they be young, so small? Weren't they just twenty three years old? How could they be fourteen again?

Then it hit them, the pink light. Their Mistress' will to protect everyone near her and the Charka attack that hit them combined to activate her time-travel ability. They were now in the past.

As Lezara realized this, she chuckled softly. "You know what happens in a few days right?"

Peyowa groaned. "I don't want to celebrate it again. One birthday was enough."

Their playful banter was cut short when sharp objects flew at them. Their bodies may have been smaller, but they still remembered how to fight, and that was what they did.

Their enemies included a group of ten or so Demons. Last time those Demons attacked they weren't able to fight back.

But all it took was one look at Lezara for Peyowa to fight back. It was the same with Lezara. For years they had been alone, but for the past few six months they had found and gained the trust of the other. It was something that they had once thought impossible.

They saw the damage that was done to the other. After beating a few other demons up they had drawn a crowd and someone very important. Their future Mistress. Once she saw what was going on, she ordered it to stop. But the two children were fighting on instincts, and if something moved they attacked. She caught their punches and they stared at each other for a few moments before she told them to follow her.

She took them in and they never left her side since. She trained them, and in a few years they were the most powerful group of Hunters that their World had to offer. By the time Peyowa was eighteen and Lezara was seventeen with their Mistress almost at sixteen they were sent out on missions to start hunting.

This time around, after the ten Demons were taken out, their Mistress showed up.

The crowd of Demons that had been watching suddenly became silent in the taunting and accusations at the two street orphan half-demons in front of them. They now were waiting for their Princess to punish and sentence those two evil abominations to death for what they just did. How dare they lay their filthy half-breed hands on pure Demons?

"Did you kill them?" their Mistress asked softly as she looked at the unconscious Demons with disgust clearly shown on her face.

They sensed her after she spoke. They turned around, and once they saw, her they knelt before her.

"It is so good to see that you are alive, Mistress." Lezara said.

"We had feared that the trip back hurt you, or that it killed you." Peyowa told her.

Their Mistress could sense their feelings of fear, rage, anger, and helplessness at what had happened. In response she just held her hands out and gave them a smile that she only shared with those she truly trusted and cared for.

"Come, let us go. We have things to plan, Rogue Demons to hunt. In a few months we are acting."

~XX~

Neji didn't know what to think. One minute he was standing, the other he was being knocked back, and then he felt something weird and he couldn't see because of the pink smoke and lights.

He activated his Byakugan. And what he saw made his thinking process shut down. Lee and Tenten were coughing and picking themselves off the ground.

"YOSH! What wonderful display of Youth! Great job Neji-kun!" Rock Lee yelled. "How about we go again, and show Gai-sensei our true strength through the power of hard work! Yosh!"

Those words made him release his Kekkai Genkai and his normal pale and pupil-less eyes took over.

Lee was wearing the green spandex that still gave him nightmares more so then what happened during the war, which was saying something. But, Lee had dropped it once he couldn't be a Ninja anymore. And Tenten, why did she look like she did when she was a Gennin? Add to that they looked like children, not the adults that he knew they were. They weren't together, hugging, or at least holding hands like they always did. Whenever he saw Lee and Tenten they were always touching somehow. These two were kind of ignoring each other.

Neji, being the calm, cool, collected man that he was, shook his head at Lee. "Sorry, I think that you gave me a good workout today. How about you practice with Tenten? Tenten could use the Taijutsu training. She can't always depend on her weapons."

With that he left Training Ground Ten and his Team.

Once he was far enough away, Neji took a good look at himself. It was as he thought. He was in a younger body. But the question was how old was he and at what point in his past was he?

~XX~

Gaara was out of control; he couldn't control his sand, and add to that there was an assassin that was trying to kill him. It had been so long since he had dealt with the emotions and the lack of control.

He quickly killed the assassin (not that he was any sort of challenge). Now what came next was the hard part: getting his bloodlust and Shukaku under control.

Gaara had asked Naruto extensively when this fellow Jinchūriki spent two weeks in Suna right after the blonde left for his two and a half year journey with Jiraiya the Toad Sage. It was during that time that the Toad Sage had fixed his Seal where it was more like Naruto's Seal.

But he didn't have the stability of the new Seal now. He had to do this the old fashion way: through his mind.

Gaara knew how to mediate, and he did so. Inside his mind he was in a desert. Right now it was calm, but soon, it would be raging.

With Naruto, the Kyuubi was inside of a cage and it couldn't get to him. Shukaku wasn't in such a cage. Gaara was going to have to put him in one. Then he would wait until he saw Naruto again and they would design a Seal for Shukaku's containment.

**What are you doing here, brat?**

Gaara turned around and saw what had caused him so much distress in his younger years. It had been a relief when the Demon had been taken out of him. But he felt lonely, incomplete when that had happened. The red headed Kazekage felt like he was missing something, and now it felt whole.

Though, being whole, gave him great pain, mostly emotional, but he was glad.

**What do you want you, insignificant little insect? I will not ask again.**

_I want you to stop taking my sanity away. I want you to stop trying to take me over. I want a lot of things, but most have no place here._

The great Demon Sand Raccoon looked at him curiously. He had never had a host that had talked back, or been rude and demanded things. His respect for his human host went up a few notches.

**And what will I have in return?**

Gaara could have laughed. Of course the Demon would want something in return. But at least he was getting somewhere.

_Do you know that I am different from the host you have had in the past…how long have you been inside of my body?_

The great Demon gave him a funny look before he sniffed his host. His eyes grew wide.

**You smell like her! You have her smell! Where is she? How did you meet her? **The golden eyes narrowed at the red head. **Did she take you back?**

Gaara took in his Demon's words and felt like he was getting some important information.

_If you mean did this 'her' take me back in time? Yes, she did. I didn't get her name. All I know was that she was from a Village called Vicis. She partook in the Chuunin Exams, and she also killed someone from a Village called Eruo. She had just killed that Ninja in the Third Exam when someone attacked. Right before though, she knocked my group back and we were hit. Then some pink smoke filled our vision and we could not see. It went into us and then I ended up back here._

The Demon of the Sand took in his host's words and nodded. It made perfect sense. He knew she was a hunter to be using that Village's name.

**I have been inside of your body for twelve years. And it seems you are a different host from before. More powerful, I can smell the power coming off you in waves. Your Chakra level , I am amused to admit, is close to my own. Tell me, did I ever get released? I do not smell my own aura on your soul or its imprint on your mind.**

Gaara wondered how the Demon would take what happened. But Gaara saw he had no choice and told the Raccoon.

_The dates back then do not seem to be vivid in my mind. I was between fifteen and sixteen, so three to four years from now I am Kazekage and Akatsuki attacked Suna. They kidnapped me and took you out of me, killing me in the process. It wasn't long till one of Suna's Elders brought me back with the help of Naruto._

There was a flash of the memories that consisted of the battle of Suna and then the couple of days of extreme pain of when Shukaku was taken forcibly from him. The Demon inside of him saw everything, felt everything.

After that Gaara felt the sand inside of his mind become a storm around him. Shukaku was getting out of control again. Gaara didn't know what set the Demon off or really how to calm it. So he did the only thing he could think of: show him what the woman who took him back in time looked like.

That calmed the Demon down in a second. The fierce Demon's eyes turned soft when he saw the woman, but only for a few seconds. Gaara would have never believed it if he hadn't seen it himself. Then the gold silted eyes turned back to him.

**I will ask one more time human before I expel you and continue to wreak havoc on you from the inside without killing you. What will I have in return if I give you the things you want? I know of the Kyuubi Jinchūriki from your memories and thoughts. Even though his Seal is tighter and harder to get out of, it is better than this shitty Seal that has me incased in here.**

_As soon as I meet up with Naruto, we will start on the design of a new Seal that contains you better. Until then I know a Jutsu that he has used in the past, well future. He lets the Kyuubi out in a physical body. I can do the Jutsu as well. But as soon as you do something I do not approve of, I will never let you out again. _

Gaara's words outraged the Demon. **You puny human, you dare command me? Even though you insult me with the idea of me being a servant to you, I see no other way if we are to co-exist. Since you have been touched by her, I cannot with a good conscience hurt you. And if my assumption is correct…**

Gaara had no clue what the Demon was talking about in the end, but he understood the rest. The Demon was going to corroborate.

_Do you want to be inside of a cage like Kyuubi is? Or a cave or is there something else that you wish? A place to sleep that isn't the sand? _

The Sand Raccoon laughed. **A cave in the desert will do human. Once you finish, get out and leave me alone.**

~XX~

Kankuro and Temari woke up inside of their beds. Old beds they had not slept in since before they went to the Chuunin Exams.

They knew something was wrong then. Their bodies weren't the same. They crashed out of their rooms and almost ran into each other. One look was all it took to know the other was there. They ran into the living room, where they kept a calendar.

It was March fifteenth.

They looked ahead to May, and if their guess was right, they were not only in the past, but a few months away from the Chuunin Exams. Yes, May tenth was labeled.

They looked up from the calendar to each other, and one word escaped their lips.

"Gaara!"

They ran out of the house like a bat out of Hell. They had to find Gaara. What if someone was trying to kill him? What if he couldn't control Shukaku? They had to find him and fast. He may need them.

~XX~

Shika always knew he was smart. But he never wanted to be smart. Smart people had to do lots of work, and he hated work. All he wanted to do was sit back and laze in the sun and watch the clouds, wishing he could be one.

He promised himself after he met his sensei he would just lay down and think while staring at those clouds.

He would think about why he was in his twelve year old body. He would think about how he could have been sent back in time. Yes, he would _think_ about many things; but there were two things he would _do_. One he would send a certain bird in the air that would fly around and alert those that were from the future like himself; that there would be a meeting. Same time it always was, and same place.

The second thing he would do was send a message to his wife and her two siblings. If his guess was right everyone in the arena was sent back. He had seen at the last second before the pink completely consumed and covered him that everyone had that pink on them. So the Kazekage and his two siblings would be back as well.

And from what he remembered about the Kazekage at twelve was that he was into killing lots of people. Shika knew that it had been years since Gaara had dealt with his Demon. He just hoped that everything went okay and that Kankuro and his beloved were alright.

~XX~

After two seconds of that pink stuff getting inside of him, Sasuke felt grounded. Then he activated his Sharingan and he stopped breathing when he saw her. Everything connected.

"Freya, what the hell did you do?"

Freya turned her little head, her waist length blonde hair moved as she turned to face him. She smiled one of those smiles he used to love and disappeared.

He reached out to her and trying to stop her from leaving him again, but all he touched was air.

To Sasuke, Freya hadn't changed since they were eight years old. She hadn't changed since the last time he saw her: the night of the massacre. They had been training, well he was training and she was helping, until late that afternoon, almost night. It was after seven when he got into his Village and Clan Compound. He had always thought it was strange that when he said he had to go she started to cry and hugged him tight before she left him. He never saw her again, until now.

He had thought that was her in the stadium during the Chuunin Exams, but it couldn't be. She couldn't have changed much. And she wouldn't be out and trying to kill people. Her Rules wouldn't let her interfere.

He had to push those thoughts of her out of his mind. He had to focus on where he was. He looked around and his heart started racing.

Where was Naruto? Was he hurt? Was he in danger? Did he need Sasuke?

Those questions made Sasuke realize he was breaking that vow he made after Naruto accepted him before the war. Naruto took him back even though he caused him so much pain. Sasuke had vowed that he would protect Naruto with his life. He would never leave him. He would do anything for him. He would be that brother that they both always wanted.

Sasuke never broke a vow or promise he made to Naruto after that Kage Meeting in the Land of Iron. And he be damned if he started now. He had to get to Naruto. Naruto wouldn't understand what was going on. Hell, no one else would either.

He paused, Naruto could if he talked to Kyuubi, but Sasuke knew Kyuubi wouldn't tell Naruto shit. It was the same with Gaara and Shukaku.

Sasuke groaned, if they were in the past and judging by his outfit, Sasuke knew he was a Gennin and where he was. Gaara was a homicidal killer. Oh this was not looking so good. He had to find Naruto!

He sweat dropped when he realized that he couldn't move his hands. They were tied behind his back!

_Damn it Naruto! Why did you have to go and tie me up?_

And what's more he didn't feel like himself. He knew the ropes weren't that tight, not that strong. So he tried to break them and he couldn't. He felt weak. He hadn't felt weak since he was a Gennin.

Sasuke looked down and everything clicked once again.

_That _was_ Freya! Only she could take us back in time._

With a quick Jutsu he was out of the ropes and out of that room in a flash. And as he got out of the window he could have sworn he saw Shika following him with his eyes. Sasuke turned his head and smirked before disappearing. It was good to know someone else was there.

Sasuke knew that Shika knew exactly where his fellow ANBU was going. He also knew from experience that Shika was going to call them into a meeting tonight. He would just have to wait until midnight to talk to the rest of them.

Sasuke searched for Naruto. The raven closed his eyes and found the Tracking Jutsu he set on Naruto during the war: it was gone. It seemed going back in time took it off, like it was never there in the first place.

_Damn! I guess I have to get him drunk again so I can put the tattoo on him. Maybe this time he will let me do it without the need to get him so wasted._

Of course when Sasuke found Naruto's carefully condensed Chakra signature that led to Naruto himself, Sasuke wanted a camera. Naruto was about to kiss Sakura. Well, it looked like Sasuke, which made the real Sasuke do a double take.

He checked the Chakra signature again, it was Naruto's. Sasuke had to wonder why Naruto was henged as Sasuke…then Sasuke remember Sakura's words the night he left Konoha.

She had said that Sasuke told her she was annoying. Maybe Naruto said that, but why was Naruto like this?

Then it clicked. Naruto would only do this if he wanted to know what Sakura thought of him. Of course she would tell Sasuke. But the question was: why was he fixing to kiss her?

Sasuke wanted to laugh, oh this was so ironic. Naruto had never liked Sakura romantically no matter how hard he tried to get that date from her when they were Gennin. Naruto only did it because he thought that was the only way Sakura could acknowledged someone. To be honest, he kind of hated her, just like Sasuke.

Naruto regretted her dying yes, but did he really care that she was gone? No, not really.

And here Naruto or Naruto henged as Sasuke was about to kiss her.

Then a flash of pink and Naruto aka Sasuke jerked back and found himself sitting on the bench. He turned left and right to check for anyone or anything. Sasuke felt him checking Charka nearby and he let Naruto find his.

He watched as Naruto aka Sasuke gave a little smirk in the direction of the real Sasuke. Sasuke knew that smirk.

Sasuke just prayed that Naruto wouldn't actually kiss Sakura so that Sasuke would have to deal with the fan girl. Oh how the raven prayed. He knew Naruto still loved pranks, not as much as before the war. The war changed everyone. Sasuke wasn't so blind that he couldn't see the change in everyone.

Naruto sighed and gave the confused Sakura a look.

"I wouldn't kiss you if you were the last girl on Earth."

_That was a little harsh Naruto…even if it was true._

After Naruto spoke, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke knew they had a few hours so he left him alone. He would only go get the dobe if it was close to time to meet the ever late Kakashi and he wasn't there. He knew that being in the past was hurting his old friend. He also knew why Naruto didn't go in after lunch.

He didn't want to see Iruka. That scar was still a little fresh.

~XX~

Of all the places in the past Naruto could have wound up at, it had to be the part where he was about to kiss Sakura.

Fate hated him like Fire hated Water. How Madara hated Konoha.

It would have been better to wind up kissing Sasuke instead! Even though he loved Sasuke, he didn't love him like that. Sasuke had always been a brother too him.

Lie.

There was one point in time that Naruto knew he loved Sasuke like a lover, and so many times he almost gave in and slept with his friend. But that love didn't last long. It seemed seeing Sasuke jumped in front of him and protect him again was too much for the last Jinchūriki. Once was enough thinking his best friend was dead because he tried to save Naruto.

Twice? That was way too much. Even after he healed Sasuke, he knew that those feelings of that kind of love were dead and gone. Seeing Sasuke almost die for him again should have sparked more love not the end of that kind of love.

When he found out why Sasuke did it, it didn't hurt. It just reinforced the idea of him not loving his best friend, his brother that way.

After he scanned the place, it didn't take much for Naruto to figure out on what was going on. That pink crap that seeped into his skin had taken him and the others back in time.

The sight of Sakura didn't prove it for him, he had had nightmares before. But what drove the nail into the coffin was feeling that Sasuke was watching him, feeling amusement at the thought of him fixing to kiss Sakura looking like him.

After a few moments that amusement turned to horror—after Naruto smirked a little of course. It didn't take a genius to know what Sasuke was afraid of.

Naruto drew his short legs to him, his arms crossed on his knees, and his cheek resting on them.

He was glad that he and the others were sent back in time. Now he didn't to live a lie. He didn't have to be Hokage. He didn't have to fake caring.

Naruto knew the war had screwed him up. Hell, it had a deep effect on everyone.

Sasuke was obsessed with protecting him, and never leaving him. It seemed Sasuke regretted more than anything in his life for breaking Naruto. Though the war did a good thing, it took out the stick that had been shoved up his friend's ass.

Neji—halfway through the war—had given up hope for the future. When he vowed to give up that, he started living in the moment. Apparently toward the end—before the final battle—he had found a lover. Naruto never did find out who it was; though, he had his suspicions.

Gaara had become looser and freer around Naruto and their close group of friends. Naruto knew that Gaara was only truly comfortable around him. The red head lost most of his shyness, and started teasing others.

Unfortunately, for Naruto, it was mainly him that was teased by the quiet red head. That made it all the more special to him.

Shika had taken his duties more seriously. The lazy genius was still lazy, but if it involved anything to do with his duty, his Hokage, or anything he deemed important, he lost the laziness. One good thing that came out of the war with Shika was that his mind was faster, instead of the half the fight trying to figure out things, it took a lot less time.

Temari had become more reserved. She cared for her close group of friends, but her protectiveness of her siblings and her husband was brought out with the war. She was no longer as brash and hot tempered as she used to be. Shika had made a joke saying she used to be Fire, but since she got dipped into the icy Water she got cooled down. That earned him a hit to the back of the head. Of course he was being perverted and was referring the Water as himself.

Kankuro had become the quietest out of the group. He was no longer as cruel as he once was, but damn, his sarcasm and pessimistic were top notch once he got into the mood.

Naruto had changed the most. After the war he was no longer that happy go lucky, kick me and I will bounce back up and love you, Ninja anymore.

If you asked Naruto do describe himself before the war he would have said, naïve and innocent. After the war he would have said tainted. The weight of the lives he had taken and the lives he could not save, had taken its heavy toll on him.

His friends—the ones that were his closest—sometimes couldn't even get to him when he was in one of his moods. He kept up that stupid façade for the stupid Village, but it killed him inside. At least when he was alone with his friends he didn't have to pretend.

Hokage.

Oh how Naruto had wanted that job so bad when he was a child. He had been so stupid. There was a reason all the previous Hokage had died in battle. Naruto had found out that the hard way. Naruto saw it differently than most would. He saw it how he saw himself.

The Hokage's had too much on them. Their hands, hell, their whole bodies, were stained with the blood of many. And they threw themselves into battle after battle to try and forget the pain. They hoped that at the end of each battle that they wouldn't come back. That by dying they could atone for the sins they had committed, for the death they brought protecting their so called precious Village. It was the very Village that was killing them deep inside.

Oh yes, he knew that oh so well. For days, weeks, months, years, he had wished that would happen to him. Maybe now he would have that wish. Maybe that woman that had killed that Eruo so effortlessly would do it for him.

Naruto sighed as he looked out over the Village as he sat on his father's head. This Village only held bad memories. Things he wanted nothing more than to forget.

Yes, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, was beyond glad that that Vicis Ninja had sent them back. In his twelve year old body he was not Hokage. In this time, he had yet to be Hokage. Maybe this time around he could do what he wanted. Maybe this time around he would make sure the one who truly needed to be Hokage stayed as Hokage.

Yes, this time he would not be Hokage.

The blonde wasn't sure he could handle it.

~XX~

"So tell me about yourselves, your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dreams." Kakashi, the Copy Cat Ninja, told his new Team.

Sakura, while being the teacher's pet that she always was, asked her new sensei to go first.

"Alright. My name is Kakashi Hatake. I have likes and dislikes. My hobbies and dreams are none of your business. Your turn pinkie."

Naruto and Sasuke wanted to throw Sakura off this balcony, but not before attaching Lee's weights to her, by the time she was finished.

Fan girls. Oh how they hated those bitches with a passion. Fan girls never made good Ninja. They were a disgrace to Ninja. And both twelve year old boys wanted all of them to go jump off a cliff with a Heavy Gravity Jutsu slapped on them.

"Your turn emo boy," Kakashi said, pulling the two boys out if their thoughts.

"My likes and dislikes do not matter in the real world. And neither do hobbies, unless it's training, which it is. I do dislike fan girls with a passion."

They all watched Sakura flinch and tears started forming in her eyes, but everyone ignored her.

"My dream? I don't have one; I have a goal, a vow I made myself, one that I have to keep. I will try to repay a debt that can never be repaid." Sasuke told his new team.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at his old friend and Sasuke titled his to the left. Naruto and Sasuke had been together so long that they didn't even need to speak to each other. They knew each other inside out.

They both watched Kakashi though. Kakashi looked confused just for a moment before it was gone. They knew that had just stumped the Copy Cat Ninja. They wanted to laugh, but they couldn't give themselves away. It was their sensei's fault if he couldn't see underneath the underneath.

"You, bright boy, your turn," Kakashi waved a hand at Naruto.

Naruto let out an amused breath and sound. Even after Naruto was Hokage, his sensei always made up nicknames for him.

"Likes and dislikes can get you killed. They get your mind distracted when you need it running and working to its fullest extent. One distraction and your dead. I will say what I do hate: fan girls and those who break the rules. Dreams? Please, those will only get you killed faster."

Sasuke sighed really loud. Naruto got the picture. Naruto had said too much. Being pessimistic could be accepted from him, but Naruto the happy bright little boy?

Naruto snorted and waved his hand behind him. Sasuke got that one. He could have laughed. The dobe really did have an excuse. Sasuke had forgotten. Naruto learned about the Kyuubi the night before. Oh that could make anyone turn to the dark side.

Kakashi looked at each of them in turn.

_Great I have a fan girl, two pessimistic mature guys who hate fan girls. Great…I have such a diverse team. _Kakashi wanted to sigh out loud. He had no luck. He knew it had gotten bad when he was sarcastic even inside of his head.

But something was nagging at him. Wasn't the Uchiha boy supposed to be all out for revenge against his brother who merked his whole clan? And what was that about replaying a debt? What debt? And what was with the Uzumaki boy, the Kyuubi kid?

Kakashi had heard that he was loud, brash, didn't think before he spoke. And he was always challenging the Uchiha. They hated each other from what he had been told. So why were they voluntarily sitting next each other? And the new sensei didn't once hear them fighting. What's more, wasn't the little Kyuubi container was supposed to be all happy not pessimistic? What about his dream? Even Kakashi had heard that one. The blonde boy wanted to be Hokage. When he mentioned his dreams he just listed another thing that would get someone killed.

When did the happy go lucky, always happy no matter what boy, turn into a pessimistic dark mind?

When did the Uchiha get less stoic and more emotional? Yes, he still concealed them, but less than before.

If Kakashi had to take a guess, he would say that the two had spent lots of time together. And somehow changing the each other, making them more like the other: Uchiha loosened up, while the Uzumaki kid became dark and unsociable.

"Well, that's all for today. I want to see you all at seven AM sharp tomorrow morning for survival training, at Training Ground Seven." Kakashi said and he stopped when Sakura opened her mouth.

But lucky for all of them, Sasuke had covered her gob. "We'll be there sensei. I know you have better things to do, so see you later."

Kakashi nodded and left. The first year he had a thoughtful student. Maybe they weren't hopeless after all.

Sasuke let go of her mouth. He then fully turned to Naruto. The raven then gestured with his eyes that they go somewhere else and talk. The Hokage and his protector went to the memorial stone.

Sasuke turned full to Naruto and stared him down.

"What do you fight for?"

Naruto's face became serious. "I fight to keep others alive, to spare them, to keep them innocent."

Sasuke knelt before Naruto. "I was a little worried that you might have forgotten when we came back. It is good to see you haven't changed. I am going to be honest, if you started yelling I told myself I would have gagged you and then torture you by asking Lee and Gai to teach you how to use your power of youth."

Naruto, the feared, vicious, and deadly, Kitsune during the war, flinched then shivered.

After a moment of trying to block out the image he succeeded.

"What do you fight for?" Naruto's voice became hard and sharp.

"I fight for those who accept me, to keep my vow, to repay the debt that can't be repaid."

Naruto nodded and gave Sasuke his fox smirk, which had Sasuke on edge. "And if you didn't answer right I would have thrown you to Anko."

That made Sasuke flinch, shiver and back up. "Give me the weird, scarring, freaky, green spandex, hugging, crying scenes. Don't give me to that Demon." Sasuke hissed at his Hokage. "She is worse than the Snake."

Naruto laughed, it wasn't one of his laughs that sounded as if the sun was on you like his smiles once did. No, this one showed that he had been hurt, but the blonde had gotten better at hiding it. Now it was almost normal.

"Come on, Anko isn't that bad because she just wants to get into your pants," Naruto teased.

Sasuke paled if it was possible. "Just get into my pants? Please, that devil wants to own me, body and soul. She wants to do just more then get in my pants. She wants to dice and slice, not to mention the little fact that she loves to maim."

Naruto just shook his head. It amazed him that the Uchiha, the one who was just as deadly as his Hokage during the war, was afraid of one woman who wanted to sleep with him.

Suddenly a though stuck Naruto. Could they fight like they did before? Would they be liabilities because they couldn't?

"Sasuke we need to train our asses off to get our bodies back into the shape we had them in."

Sasuke agreed. "We will bring that up tonight when we meet." As an afterthought he added, "Are you going to write to Gaara?"

Naruto nodded, "But first I need to have a talk with Kyuubi. Send a Kage Bunshin and go get me a scroll and something to write with, while me and the fuzz ball have a talk."

And they did. Naruto told the Fox that he was from the future and told him about the pink light and showed him memories like Gaara did with Shukaku.

**So if you let me out like you did before, what do you want in return?**

_Permission to basically use your mouth, like threaten Shukaku with you._

The great Nine Tailed Fox laughed. **You have balls kid. Go ahead, Shukaku will listen once you mention my name and that I am backing you up. Now from what I saw in your memories you need to buff yourself back up. Get to it gaki!**

_Thanks, _Naruto told him as he gave him his fox grin.

When he came out of his mind Sasuke had already gotten what he wanted. Naruto quickly wrote a letter to his fellow Jinchūriki.

Hey Red Midget Boy,

Like being one of us again? Anyway onto other things, you realize what is happening. As far as I know, Sasuke is the only one who has come to me. That is because we are on the same Team. He told me Shika will call a meeting. So Shika's here too. That makes me believe that everyone of our group is back. The only question is where are the three Vicis Shinobi?

Onto further things, about your Seal, we can use the one that Ero-Sennin came up with, but I don't remember all of it. Plus, after we learned Seals, I wanted to tweak the thing. Start thinking about it. I will see you at the Chuunin Exams in two months if we don't see each other before then.

Also, about Shukaku, you're going to need him. We need to get our bodies back to where they were before. We haven't had these bodies since we were this age. And we have really changed since then. Our pitiful bodies won't be able to handle what we need them to do.

Our Chakra should have come back with us. All of our group can do at least fifty Kage Bunshin without getting tired. So that is the quickest way to train. Let's get started.

See you then or if we decide to meet,

Now a Blonde Midget…damn when was that growth spurt again?

Naruto sent it off with a Jutsu they had developed in the war. As soon as he finished it they saw what they had been waiting for in the sky.

It was their signal.

It was half raven, half sparrow. It always flew in a circle, from one member of their circle to the other, but always in the shape of a circle. What's more was that it could be identified if not by the two different halves, but by the fact that he was made out of Shadow Chakra.

Yes, all four Ninja from the future would meet at their secret place at midnight. Just like they always did in the war. Yes, that would show them who remembered.

Tonight would be when they formed their plan about what they would do in this world. Oh yes, tonight they would plan.

But first, Naruto and Sasuke pointed a finger at the bird and shot a ball of Chakra at it. Seconds later it disappeared.

That proved they were all here. Neji, Shika, Sasuke and Naruto all made it back into the past and remembered who they were and what they had done. The future was taking the past back.

_To be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

**M****OON SAYS: **Here is chapter 3! Sorry for the wait guys! I have decided to combine the last couple of chapters because they weren't really long. Anyway, here you go tell me what you think! Also, I am doing a challenge! Answer and I answer any question you have about the series.

**CHALLENGE: **Guess what the other couples are! There are a total of 5 main couples, one which has been revealed (TemarixShika). **  
**

**WORDS: **6, 358**  
**

**PAGES: **13**  
**

**ENJOY!**

**~Hunters~**

**Chapter 3**

"Okay, let's get this started. First off, I am sure that everyone knows this, but incase you do not, we are in the past." Shika informed them right off the bat.

The lazy genius got a few glares, and an eye roll.

"Ignoring the disrespect, what are we going to do now? We all have people on our teams who are weaker than us. Neji and I have two. Sasuke and Naruto, you lucky bastards, only have one. That reminds me, what are you two going to do for your bell test?"

Naruto shrugged. "If what we said didn't give us away, then the test will. I was a little too emo for Teme's liking, and he was a little too not emo. I bet Kaka is going to think that we secretly hung out with each other. Of course, heaven forbid, he thinks were dating. Can we say ew? And aren't we a little too young for that shit anyway?"

Naruto got a few nods to that. "There is the Land of Waves Mission also, what are we going to do about Haku and Zabuza? Shika?"

Shika honestly didn't know what to say. "Are there rules that we have to follow? Are there some laws about time travel that we can't upset or the whole world will be destroyed? I don't know, what I also don't know is anything about the Vicis. Does anyone know anything about the one who sent us back? Or the two Vicis Ninja that were with her?"

Before anyone could reply a sand bird landed on Naruto's shoulder. Attached to its leg was a scroll. Naruto quickly untied it and the sand bird became sand once again and fell to the ground.

Blonde Midget,

Yes, I do like being one of us again. I feel complete now, as if when the Raccoon was taken from me I lost something important. 

It is good that everyone made it okay. Temari and Kankuro are fine as well. A little paranoid and worried about me, but that is normal. Sometimes I wish that this was not the case.

We have already started our training, I doubt you have, so get to it little midget! I think I'm taller than you...

On a side note, has Kyuubi said anything about the one who sent us back here? Shukaku seemed to freak out when he smelled her on me. So he knows who she is. I'm leaning more toward she is familiar with Demons. Do you suppose she is a host like us? Or a Demon herself? We need to find her and get answers from her.

Until the Chuunin Exams when my team defeats yours,

Red Midget

Naruto chuckled. "So he thinks his team will beat mine? I think not! Teme!" Naruto turned toward his right hand man. "Let's leave now and train Sakura until she drops dead! We are so going to defeat that Red Midget's team once and for all!"

Sasuke sighed, and he got sympathetic looks from two of his friends. "Dobe, if she's dead then neither of us can compete in the Chuunin Exams. Don't we have more important business to take care of first?"

Naruto deflated a bit before he nodded.

"Now what did the letter say, Hokage-sama?" Neji asked, hoping Naruto's title would get him to focus once more.

A flinch later, Naruto was in his 'Hokage Mode' and completely focused on the task at hand.

"Gaara told me that the Sand Team is fine and that they are already taking my suggestion of training. Our charka was still intact when we came back, so we can do around fifty Kage Bunshin each. We need to get our bodies back as quickly as possible. He informed me that Shukaku knows of the one woman who sent us back in time. In fact, he freaked out when he smelled her on Gaara. When Kyuubi heard that strange word—back to the future people—he reacted weirdly. He told me that it was a word used in the Demon world: _motogo_." The Sixth Hokage told his group.

Shika rubbed his chin. "Cha, this is so troublesome." Flinch, waiting for impact, but when it didn't happen, he went on. "So those three are maybe Demons or working with Demons. The woman, I am guessing, could be host, which contributes to the theory that the other two working with Demons."

Naruto nodded. "Gaara thought she was a host or a Demon herself. We need to find her and get information out of her. If she doesn't talk we can always kill her."

"NO!" Sasuke growled at his Hokage. "You will not touch her at all. If you do, I'll kill you myself."

The Killer Intent that Sasuke was letting out showed to his friends that he was beyond serious. It also revealed that the last Uchiha—not last now—knew her. Was he holding out on his friends? They honestly didn't know what to think. They had never seen the Uchiha so protective, unless it was Naruto. But she wasn't Naruto; and he just threatened to kill Naruto!

The Uchiha was saved from interrogation by a raven that was flying toward them. It went straight to Sasuke.

The emo ninja smiled—not smirked, smiled—as the raven landed on his outstretched arm.

"How have you been Raysa?" Sasuke asked the Raven, his voice full of emotion.

"**I have been busy Sasuke-sama. I see you have been slacking in your training. Nikki-sama would be disappointed**."

Sasuke sighed. "I told you, I don't like her anymore. I haven't been slacking either. I just got sent back into the past; of course it looks like I have been slacking."

The raven chuckled. "**Mistress did say something about that**."

"Isn't that why you are here? To tell me of the Rules we have since we have come back into the past?"

The raven nodded its head. "**It really is simple, even a stupid human like you can understand. You can change the past all you want, but," **the raven's voice got dark and serious**. "If someone is supposed to die, you have to let them die. If not, something very bad could happen. You know, like end of the world bad**."

Sasuke nodded. He understood, but his heart was hurting. "What about Itachi?"

"**Itachi-sama may be saved. It depends if my Mistress can find out how to end long term possessions." **After seeing Sasuke's eyes so full of hope, the raven added.** "Don't get your hopes up kid, I doubt even **_**she**_** can figure out how to do it**."

Sasuke immediately threw away his hope. If Itachi couldn't be saved, then so be it. It wasn't like he lost sleep over Itachi's death anymore. That was in the past…or now in this case, future.

"Okay that's it. I want answers right now. Who is your Mistress? Who is this Nikki? Where is your Mistress?" Naruto demanded as he stalked toward the bird; letting some of his killing intent leak.

The bird looked at him with a calm face. "**Kyuubi, you dare threaten me? You know who I am, and yet you let your human get away with his rudeness? You should be ashamed of yourself**."

Kyuubi shoved Naruto aside for a moment to speak to the Summon.

"**He knows nothing and I do not plan on telling him anything unless she tells me to. If he wants to go and make a fool of himself let him. Now, how is she? Was there any side effects from the trip back?**"

The raven nodded his understanding. "**We would die rather than betray our Mistress**. **No, there wasn't any, besides that she was tired, but that is the usual**." He turned his head toward Sasuke. "**I delivered my message. Until we meet again, Sasuke-sama. Get to your training, weak-ass human!"**

He disappeared in a puff of smoke like a Summon does after it is dismissed.

After he was gone Neji, Shika and Naruto turned on Sasuke.

"What the hell was that?" they all said at once.

Sasuke put his mask back up. "I can't tell you anything, I'm sorry."

"Why?" Neji asked. There was a questioning look in his eye that only Sasuke saw. It hurt Sasuke to see it.

"It isn't my place to tell. If she wants you to have the answers you seek, then she would tell you herself." He stopped when he saw a shadow enter Naruto's eyes. "Do not make me choose between you. I can't. She has been betrayed enough already. Surely Naruto, you understand betrayal."

Naruto looked shocked at what Sasuke was saying, but after a moment of thought he nodded. He understood, and if Sasuke was asking him to do something, then who was he to deny his brother anything?

If it was him asking Sasuke this, he knew what he would want Sasuke to do.

"Fine, but if we find her I want answers Sasuke." Naruto warned him.

"That's fine, by then she will probably be bored and tell you everything." Sasuke shrugged.

Shika shook his head and said his favorite word, very quickly, looking around for a blond, fan wielding, mad woman, before changing the subject. "Now, on a different note, you need a new place to live Naruto."

Naruto was quiet for a moment, thinking before he spoke. His old self would have protested not a second after he said it. His new self would have thought about it for a while. He would have looked at it from all sides and then in the end he would have agreed to it one way or another.

"So, who is my new roommate? Wait; let's rephrase that so that it isn't gay sounding, who is my new housemate?"

Neji chuckled at the words. It seemed his future Hokage didn't want to sleep in the same room as one of them.

"Ah, is someone afraid that the assbandit will come after him in the middle of the night?" Sasuke teased with a slight smirk on his face. "Or you just afraid one of us will get horny while dreaming and jump you?"

Naruto and Sasuke started a glaring contest. The other's just chuckle, those two would never seem to loose their unique friendship. Shika, instead of waiting until their match was through—it could take hours to finish—started to try and figure out who their Kage would live with.

"We know that since you have the Kyuubi inside of you, the Villagers hate you. Now that you are a Shinobi, they will want to hurt you even more. So you need to live with someone who they won't attack. That leaves either Neji or Sasuke. Since Sasuke lives alone, he would be the obvious choice. That is if Sasuke agrees?"

Sasuke nodded his agreement, which would be better in the long run. He now had a better excuse for keeping his vow. He really didn't want to be caught watching Naruto's house at night.

That spelled stalker, and Uchiha's were _not_ stalkers.

"Now that is out of the way, what is our plan for the Chuunin Exams?" Naruto asked his friends.

~XX~

Sakura, being the teacher's pet that she was, arrived that the time Kakashi told her. Of course she had to wait a few hours before the smart Sasuke and Naruto showed up—hours late.

"How dare you come late, stupid baka? Kakashi-sensei told us to be here at six, it is now after nine!" she stopped her rant when she realized something. "Of course you're late, you probably can't tell time. Stupid idiot, you should just quit being a Ninja and leave me and Sasuke-kun alone! We don't need you!"

Sasuke and Naruto shared a look. It seemed she forgot yesterday that they both said they hated fan girls, AKA her. Naruto smirked and Sasuke tried not to pale...Naruto was up to something and that smirk made him afraid to find out.

"Oh Sakura, I can tell time. Of course it was your precious Sasuke-kun that woke me up this morning, so if anyone can't tell time, it's him."

Sakura blinked. "Sasuke-kun woke you up? He went to your house?" she quickly recovered and started taunting Naruto. "Ha, you can't tell time after all! Sasuke-kun was being nice because he pitied you."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and Sakura took a step back involuntarily.

"No, Sasuke did not come to my house to wake me up. He actually went down the hall from his bedroom."

Sakura paled, she did not like his words. "Down the hall from his bedroom? You don't mean...?"

Naruto half smirked. "Yes, I live with Sasuke. Don't you wish you were me?"

"Dobe, why did you have to tell her? It's none of her business." Sasuke groaned. "Now she is going to be even more insufferable." He couldn't deny he was scared that she would demand to live with him as well. The Uchiha didn't know what was worse: Anko or Sakura.

Of course, they didn't have a chance to find out what her reply to that was. To the disappointment of Naruto, but it was happy news for Sasuke. The latter didn't really want to know, damn the dobe for wanting to torture people psychologically.

Kakashi had arrived. "Yo!"

Sakura quickly put the shocking and terrible news to the back of her mind and started yelling at her new sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei, why are you late?" The lone female in Team Seven demanded and yelled at the same time.

"I got lost on the road of life." He said with a crescent showing for his only visible eye.

Sasuke and Naruto just rolled their eyes; now that they were older they wanted to laugh at his excuses, but at the same time, they didn't want to encourage him.

"I'm bored; can we get on with this?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah! Sasuke-kun is right! We need to take our test!" Sakura chimed in.

Naruto closed his eyes. This girl was amazing. No matter how many times Sasuke said something that would discourage her, she kept right on going. Was she a masochist or something?

Kakashi saw the considerable amount of self control both Sasuke and Naruto were admitting.

"Can I please kill her?" Naruto muttered. The blonde Ninja knew Kakashi heard him.

He saw the Jounin shake his head. _If only, if only, we could._

"Okay, for the Survival Test there are two bells. You will have to get one before this alarm clock," he pulled one out of nowhere, anime style. "Before noon, if you don't, I will tie you to a post where you don't eat lunch but your two teammates will."

Naruto was getting bored already and said the rest for his old sensei. "And if we don't get a bell in the end we get sent back to the Academy, yada yada yada. Yes, Sakura, Miss Know-It-All, there are only two bells and three of us. No one will be sent back to the Academy. It is either we all fail or we all pass. Now, can we start?"

Sasuke hit Naruto on the back of the head. "Cut it out dobe! She was supposed to figure that out herself."

"Ow, teme, that hurt." Naruto whined as he rubbed his head. "We both know she wouldn't figure it out, I was trying to help..."

Kakashi had had enough of this. "Yes, we are getting started now. Come at me with the intent to kill. Ready? Go!"

Sakura went into her 'Ninja Mode' and hid in the nearby trees. She sweat dropped when she noticed that Naruto and Sasuke didn't go and hide like she did.

"Now, now, I figured you of all people Sasuke, would know how to hide." Kakashi-sensei said as he watched the two male Ninja's of his squad.

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't want to drag this out. We all know how to hide so we can skip that lesson. Plus," he said as he smirked. "I want those bells."

As soon as his last word was said, he watched Naruto attack the Copy Cat Ninja from behind. As soon as Naruto's leg hit Kakashi's arm—which moved to block the kick—the raven attacked as well.

It was like a mirror, Kakashi noticed. If Naruto did something, Sasuke did it as well, only opposite like. Naruto threw a kick and a punch from the left, Sasuke did it from the right.

Poor Kakashi had wanted to read Icha Icha and couldn't because two Gennin were fighting him...Gennin.

Did he just think that right? Two Gennin were giving him a run for his money. How could that be? Were Sasuke and Naruto on a higher level then Gennin? He expected it of Sasuke, but of Naruto? Maybe they were secret friends and were training in secret. They did seem as if they were close friends…

It would explain the whole teamwork thing going on between them. And what was with the not sweating? Were they used to this intense fighting already? Something was going on here that Kakashi didn't know about and he didn't like it. Not one bit. The Copy-Cat Ninja was going to find out the truth about his two students.

Finally Naruto jumped back and sighed. "Taijutsu isn't going to get us anywhere."

"I told you that last night, dobe! I said we needed to use Ninjutsu, not Taijutsu. Che, dobe you should know that a Jounin who runs around with Gai isn't going to be beaten by Taijutsu." Sasuke glared at his friend and future Hokage. Sometimes, mostly all the time with his dobe, he forgot about that last part.

"And he isn't going to be beaten my Ninjutsu, he is the freaking Copy Cat Ninja for goodness' sake! Well, as long as he doesn't pull out the thingie, were fine...good thinking Teme."

Kakashi didn't have time to start thinking about their conversation and how they knew some much about him; he had to dodge all the Jutsu they were throwing at him.

Yes, these two were differently on Chuunin Level. He didn't think Gennin had that much Chakra. Of course, the Kyuubi kid would have lots.

What he didn't expect was Sasuke _and _Naruto to use a Fire Ball Jutsu on a Chuunin Level. He dodged it of course and jumped into the trees.

He watched as Naruto and Sasuke sighed.

_These two are definitely ready to be Gennin, but the girl? The girl needs to go back home and never think about being a Ninja again. If she had come out she could have gotten the bells for her teammates. It seems Naruto was right. He even told her everything, and she still hasn't got it that this is a test of Teamwork. I guess I can use that last trick. Maybe they will be the ones who pass._

With a quick Kage Bunshin he made the alarm go off. "Time's up, Sakura come out! You get tied to the post."

"WHY?" Sakura screamed as she came into view. "Naruto's the baka, why not tie him up?"

Kakashi sighed inwardly. Just because of her he prayed they didn't pass. By the look of the other two, he knew they were thinking the same thing.

"You did nothing, Naruto and Sasuke worked together and actually did something. They figured out that this test was about Teamwork, _you_ didn't, which makes _you_ the baka. Now go sit at the log while I tie you up."

Ten minutes passed and Kakashi warned them about not feeding her and disappeared.

Oh how both Sasuke and Naruto wanted her to starve. Oh how they wanted it so badly, more badly then wanted to destroy Akatsuki.

Sakura, tied to the log, was in tears. "This is all your fault baka!" she cried over and over.

Finally Naruto couldn't stand it and stood up. He went over to her and slapped her.

"Get a grip Sakura! This is not how a Ninja acts," Naruto took a deep breath and let it out. "Get a grip, act like a Ninja and be more serious or quit. Those two are your only options. If you don't get serious I will make you quit. Do you know Ninjas die? And those that chase after boys instead of training are the first to die? Do you want to die Sakura? We won't be able to protect you all the time."

Sakura didn't make any sounds as more tears flowed down her cheeks. She knew the baka was right but she didn't want to say it. She hated him. She always did. She had seen how Naruto was the only one Sasuke would react to. Add to that Naruto was living with him now? She had lost. Oh, how she hated the baka.

Naruto had seen the impact his words had on her and sighed. He knew he was being too harsh on her, but she needed a reality check, badly. They couldn't protect her all the time. One little slip and she could be dead. Naruto and Sasuke both realized that in the Forest of Death. If Orochimaru had been serious he would have killed Sakura first, and then gone after Sasuke. It was the same with Zabuza, only neither realized it then because Haku and Zabuza focused on them.

Naruto had too much death on his hands, hers already there. He didn't need or want another death of hers adding to the already growing, and never ending, list. The blonde's ideal situation was where she would quit and it would only be Sasuke and him, but he knew it wouldn't happen. Three man squads and all, of course that could be remedied by Kakashi being the third man, but he knew that the current Hokage would never let that pass. Especially with them being Gennin and all.

So he had to deal with her now. The Sixth Hokage needed her on the same page as him right now. The blonde didn't need any more baggage and if he could prevent it by a few harsh words, then so be it. He would do whatever it took.

Her tear stained face and soft sobs brought him back to reality. Yes, he was way too harsh; he regretted it even if it needed to be done. There were many things the Hokage had to do that he didn't want to do. This was just another notch for the record.

Suddenly he remembered how they had passed. Naruto was the one tied to the log and Sasuke decided to feed him. He chuckled inside. A way to erase some of his harshness maybe…

"Here, I bet you didn't even eat breakfast." Naruto said softly as he squatted down and held out his lunch to her. Sasuke, being the quick thinker, cut her ropes so she could eat herself.

As much as Sasuke wanted to make fun of Naruto, this was not the time to do it. Not when his blonde friend was so emotional.

Naruto and Sasuke had had conversations before about Sakura. They both didn't like her, but she was always there. They had joked around before and wished that she would just go and die in a battle. And when she did, they felt bad at first, but she was out of the way then.

Even in the end, she was always waiting for Sasuke, Naruto or Kakashi to come save her. She got stronger; she was Tsunade's Apprentice after all. But it didn't make Naruto or Sasuke like her better. It was like they were all putting up with her until they could get rid of her.

One of the things Naruto went off on the raven about in the fight at the Valley of the End was that he was leaving him with Sakura. That actually got Sasuke to shut up. He even told his blonde friend that he regretted leaving him alone with Sakura, even if Naruto left a few days later to go on his trip with Ero-Sennin. Though, the blonde had to come back and be on the same team with her again.

Sasuke, after he left, never had to do that. When Sasuke came back Naruto was off Team Seven and was Hokage. Naruto had been known to be cruel with punishments, but making someone be on a team with Sakura was the ultimate one.

It was the punishment he used for those who really ticked him off. Those that got that punishment never pissed him off again.

Naruto and Sasuke watched in boredom as Kakashi came back and did his scary mojo thing with the fake thunder storm and loud threatening voice. They wondered how they could have fooled the first time around; it was so obvious that it was all fake.

"You pass!" Kakashi informed his new team. His heart died a little when he realized Sakura was on the team.

"Wait, what? How? None of us got a bell." Sakura sniffed. It seemed she was still getting out of her crying mood.

Kakashi then explained everything. "So even without the bells, which I didn't expect you to get, you could still pass. All you had to do was work together."

Sasuke sent Naruto a look and they both smirked.

"Oh sensei, what was that about not getting the bells?" Naruto asked sweetly as he pulled one out of his orange pocket.

"Oh yes, sensei, please do repeat what you said. I think I missed it when I went to reach for _my_ bell." Sasuke added as he pulled his out.

Kakashi looked between those bells and the ones on his hip a few times before he grabbed his. As soon as he touched them they disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi laughed. "Oh good one, was it when you tried to barbeque me?"

"Yeah, we had two Kage Bunshin in the trees waiting to switch with you. They tossed them toward us before the smoke cleared." Naruto smirked.

Kakashi shook his head. "I guess I have an interesting team this time. You guys are dismissed. Meet me here are ten tomorrow for missions."

~XX~

Kakashi didn't stay to watch his team as he would have before. No, he had to do some thinking, real thinking, before he went and informed the Hokage that his team had passed. So many questions were running through his head.

How were Naruto and Sasuke so advanced?

Why were they different than what he was told?

Why was Naruto all emo-fied?

Why was Sasuke acting like they were friends, or something else?

Kakashi was told that they couldn't stand each other. If they were in the same room with each other there would be at least five different fights within minutes of each other. If that was true, how was it that they weren't fighting, but were getting along and working together?

Or was it the answer that had the least percent of actually happening? Could this theory—with its percent being negative to the millionth trillion—of them being together, as a couple, be true?

Had Hell frozen over?

Did something cosmic happen that changed their personalities?

Or wait...was there a chance that all that up until now had been a mask and façade that they set up to keep everyone off their backs? If that was true, it would explain some things. If they had been friends all this time, Sasuke would have hid it so his family and others wouldn't know. Even the children could see how the Village treated the Kyuubi kid.

There was so much to consider, so much that he didn't know. How could he decide what to do, when he didn't know everything?

The silver headed Ninja sighed; if only he could do what he used to do. Sit back to back with her and tell her everything. Most of the time just telling her he could get his own answers, but sometimes he needed her opinion. This was one of those latter times.

Kakashi was sitting in a tree, halfway on the branch and just leaned back. He was hoping that she would show up like she used too. All he had to do was lean back and her back was up against his, with her ear ready to listen to him.

The Copy Cat Ninja wasn't disappointed. Her back was waiting for him.

Kakashi slipped back into a routine he hadn't used for thirteen years. He told her everything, from the moment he met them, to the moment he left them today. He told her everything he had thought about, everything he had come up with. Kakashi even told her what he couldn't decide to do.

"Should I go to the Hokage and tell him? Or should I just sit back and watch and wait to see if they come to me and tell me or I figure it out myself?"

She didn't answer, that could mean one of two things. One: Kakashi could figure it out himself, or two: she was thinking of what to tell him.

Thinking back to the last two hours of his thinking, it had to be the latter. He knew nothing. He couldn't find the dots connecting the information he had. He was missing too much for dots to appear.

He was waiting for her to say something when a thought popped into his head; one of his least likely theories.

"They can't be secretly dating can they?"

She laughed; he felt her body shake against his back. "Of course not, if you want to put a name on the relationship they have, call them brothers."

"Then what do I do?"

She was silent for a moment before she spoke. "You will do nothing."

"Nothing? How can I do nothing? They are not the kids I heard about, what if someone is posing as them? Or something I can't detect?"

The woman sighed and put more pressure on his back. "It is nothing like that. They are who they say they are; I promise you."

"But—"

"If you try to find out what is really going on, or tell anyone I will not only burn your Icha Icha, but I will tell Jiraiya not to write anymore. Not only that, but Iruka would find out a few things you don't want him to know. Sigh, poor Scarecrow, he loses Icha Icha _and_ his dolphin. What a sad turn of events in his _short_ life."

Kakashi almost fell out of the tree.

"You wouldn't…"

She smirked and he knew it even if he couldn't see her face.

"Try me."

Kakashi hadn't ever been so scared in his life than he was at the challenge in her voice.

There was no way in hell that he was going risk his Icha Icha or his dolphin-chan; or on an off chance his life.

Kakashi sighed as he jumped from the tree toward the Hokage Tower. He was going to have to endure the nagging impulses to find out the truth. Oh, how hard this simple task would be.

~XX~

"Kakashi-sensei?"

Said sensei didn't even look up from his precious book. "Yes?"

Naruto sighed as he saw what book Kakashi had in his hand. "Still reading porn I guess."

Kakashi blinked, Sasuke snickered, and Sakura giggled.

"Now, let's get to important stuff. Kaka-sensei, go teach Sakura how to climb a tree with no hands." Naruto ordered, pointing toward a tree.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you that it isn't polite to point?" Kaka countered, but he regretted it immediately.

Naruto gave him a sad smile. "No, no one taught me anything—"

Sasuke coughed, interrupting Naruto's little pity speech.

Naruto half glared. "Perverts, especially super perverts, aren't qualified to teach anyone anything! So _he_ doesn't count. Neither does that snake pervert of yours."

Sasuke groaned. "How many times do we have to go over this? He did nothing to me. The snake was always messing around with four eyes."

Naruto stared down his brother. "He. Is. Still. A. Pervert. Even. If. He. Didn't. Touch. You. How many times do we have to go over _that_?"

Kakashi just looked between the two for a few minutes and coughed. "Enough, I believe someone mentioned Tree Climbing, let's get to it then."

Naruto tilted his head. "Us too?"

Kakashi gave him a dumb look. "No, I was talking to the duck over in the lake over there." He said sarcastically as he jerked his thumb to said lake. And what do their eyes behold, but a duck that was quacking angrily at Kakashi. The bird even flapped a wing at him, and if said bird was human, the two Ninja from the future would have guessed it flipped him off.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I don't think it wants to train. You just got _rejected,_ Kaka-sensei." Sasuke said in a mocking tone.

Kakashi sighed. "Not you too Sasuke? I thought you were too mature for that."

Sasuke gave him an 'are you stupid look' before he replied. "I hang out _and_ live with the dobe. Do you really think he hasn't rubbed off on me? Plus, I have to have at least a little of it or I would go insane."

Naruto took on an offended look, but inside he was smiling.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "I think he spends too much time with you. Your emo-ness has rubbed off on him. I don't think we need two negative, pessimistic, realistic, teenager boys on our Team."

All three Gennin rolled their eyes at his words.

Naruto and Sasuke's eyes connected and they both smirked thinking the same thing.

_If only, if only, he knew. _

"Now, about that training, let's hop too it guys. Over toward a really tall tree now, and take out a kunai boys and girl…Naruto? Sasuke? Why aren't you doing what I said? Didn't _you_ suggest doing this?"

Naruto gave Kakashi an exasperated look. "I said _Sakura_ needs to do some tree climbing training. Her chakra control needs work and she needs to build up her low chakra reserves. She needs the training."

Kakashi blinked again. "Do you already have good charka control? I heard yours were the worst in the class."

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's arm and jerked him back toward the water. "Do you know why Naruto had the lowest scores in the class? Who exactly were his teachers? And did they hate a certain fox?"

Kakashi's only visible eye widened. It seemed Sasuke knew about the Kyuubi. That just conformed more of what she said. They were brothers. Naruto seemed to trust him more than anyone else.

"Naruto had the lowest scores because all he did was joke around." Sakura said, frowning at Naruto. "If anyone needs more training, it's him."

Naruto counted to ten before he replied. "Who was it who did nothing during the bell test? Who had to save your ass when the dog was going to eat you? Who saved you when that bull was chasing after you because you were stupid enough to wear red? Do I need to go on?"

Sasuke and Kakashi chuckled. Naruto did have a point.

Sakura's face turned beet red. "You're still dead last!"

Sasuke's hand moved to Naruto's shoulder and gripped it hard. "We have our own training to do Kakashi."

"And what is that? Do you know how to walk up a tree with no hands?" Kakashi asked his two male Gennin.

Sasuke nodded.

"Who taught you how to do that?"

"Itachi. He taught us a lot of things before he went homicidal and killed my clan." Sasuke told him with a shrug like it was no big deal.

The raven turned Naruto around and pushed him onto the water. His friend didn't even look like the push put him off balance. Instead, he jumped from the surface of the water to the other side. He turned toward his dark headed friend.

"Are you coming or what? I won't wait all day. I kind of want to get some training in today, if you don't mind." Naruto told him as he started flexing his hands.

Sasuke wanted to roll his eyes and tell his future Hokage that they were already training. In a hidden training field on Namikaze land, Shika, Neji, Naruto and Sasuke had more than twenty Kage Bunshin training at all times.

"I'm coming, hold your horses, dobe. Ever heard of the word patience?" Sasuke asked as he too, stepped out on the water and took his fighting position.

Naruto grinned. "Nope, that word isn't in my vocabulary. Now get to it."

They started their fight, making more than sure that they didn't fight or use anything above high Gennin, low Chuunin level, while Kakashi was trying to get Sakura to look at the tree.

"Kakashi-sensei! How are they walking on water? Who taught them? We weren't taught such things at the Academy. What's going on?" Sakura asked, adding that shrill tone to it.

Kakashi, tired of her questions and voice, finally told her to shut up. "They know how to that a lot of stuff that you don't, because Sasuke's older brother taught them. Itachi was an ANBU at thirteen years old. Now, let's get to _your_ training, pinky."

Kakashi, just like Sakura, wanted to know a lot more than they were telling. But he couldn't know; nor did he let himself think much on it.

He didn't want his Icha Icha to burn and he wanted to keep his little dolphin-chan in the dark about some things…well lots of things really. And add to that he still want to live…

The one eyed Jounin knew that he couldn't let himself think about it even a little bit. One never knew with her, she could say that he was trying to figure it out when he was just commenting on something. Kakashi sighed; he had better be careful in the future. One wrong turn and he'd better say bye-bye to Icha Icha and dolphin-chan; and maybe his life.

Maybe it would help if he focused on the one student that needed him. "Whoa, Sakura, when did you get all the way up there?"

_To be continued..._

**CHALLENGE: **Guess what the other couples are! There are a total of 5 main couples, one which has been revealed (TemarixShika). Answer and I will answer any question you have. If you get all correct I will add something in for you (a side pairing, someone's death, who kills her, etc)**.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**MOON SAYS**: Sorry for the long wait, and from now on whether or not I write the next chapter I will be posting this once a week. HAPPY B-DAY TO ME! I still haven't got passed the 7th chapter, but I am working on it. Hopefully I can something written by Monday. There are ten chapters total, but if I find out that I made a chapter too short, I will tack on the next chapter to it! Tell me what you think? Do you want to see someone die? Someone that probably is going to die? I have to wonder what happened to Iruka and Kakashi...(my mind is on chapter 7).

**WORDS**: 6, 397

**PAGES**: 12

ENJOY!

**~Hunters~**

**Chapter 4**

Naruto and Sasuke were having trouble, guilty conscious so to speak. They hated that Zabuza and Haku died the first time around and they had always wished that they could have gone back and fixed it to where the two didn't die. It was because of those two that the two Ninja from the future learned a lesson that was the very reason that they were still alive today.

Sasuke had forsaken it; but he had later come to realize the truth in those words that Naruto had shared with him. Haku was right, when you have precious people, and you try to protect them you become stronger. How could Sasuke have doubted it? That was why he had awakened his Sharingan in the first place. The raven wanted to protect Naruto; and so he forced himself to become stronger, strong enough to see and defeat Haku.

"I don't want to kill them or watch them die again." Naruto told them, emotion flowing freely throughout his voice; he wasn't even attempting to hide it.

Sasuke knew the pain his friend was feeling, maybe not the depth of it, but he was knew at least half of it because he was feeling it himself.

Shika had thought about this since their second midnight meeting. A month had passed since their first meeting and he wasn't close to getting an answer. They had to let the people who died, die, but they could change the past all they wanted. What a paradox situation they were in.

If only they could go and ask the one who had sent them back in time…that was it!

Shika's head snapped up and his eyes glued themselves to Sasuke—who looked up a split second later after feeling eyes on him.

"You thought of something?" Naruto asked breathlessly.

Shika nodded. "Sasuke, can you contact her and ask her about this situation? Maybe there is a way around those rules."

Now all eyes were on Sasuke; who lowered his eyes in thought. Before he didn't have to contact her, she was just always here when he needed her. Itachi would know for sure how to contact her, but Sasuke knew he would see him for damn, three months at the most.

Summons would work, but then they would have to answer all those questions before the message could be delivered. The raven could always summon _her _but that was a bit extreme, even for him. Things had not gotten that desperate yet.

They had two options now. One was to summon a Boss Summon, Gamabunta or Manda, and have them deliver the message. But right now, they didn't have time to convince the Boss Summons that they were from the future.

Sasuke looked up at Naruto, they only had one way.

"We have no choice, but up a fucking Charka barrier now!"

Shika and Neji moved quickly, putting it up in seconds while Sasuke walked over to Naruto.

"I'm sorry, but this is the only way." Sasuke whispered as his eyes changed into the Sharingan. Direct contact with Naruto's eyes, sent both of them into the deepest reaches of the latter's mind.

**So, an Uchiha is coming to see me. What do I owe this pleasure to? **Kyuubi's voice boomed in the cage he was in.

Sasuke walked right up to the bars, not at all afraid. If there was one thing he knew about Demons, it was that he had perfect immunity from damage and death.

**You have her scent all over of your mind**, Kyuubi mused quietly, **is that why you came to me? You want her?**

Sasuke nodded at the Demon's reasoning. _I need to get a message to her and you are the closest and quickest way of doing that._

Kyuubi only chuckled; and waited for the amusing Uchiha to continue.

_I need you to ask her are there any loopholes to get around the deaths. We don't want to kill or watch Zabuza and Haku die this time. Ask her is there any way to save them?_

Kyuubi looked over the humans looking at him thoughtfully. **I cannot leave because of this seal.**

_We will set you free, just like we have done the past couple of times,_ Naruto replied, speaking for the first time since Sasuke forcibly entered his mind…again.

Kyuubi thought about their words for a moment before asking, **how old are you? **Their answer determined where she was.

_Twelve, _they both answered together.

**And what makes you think that I won't run away? Or that I won't come back? **Kyuubi chuckled. **Once I get in the Demon World, what makes you think I won't stay? There are many there that are powerful enough to help me.**

Naruto snorted. _Because at the strength I am right now, combined with how close we are, you aren't supposed to be able to get far at all. Setting you free, all depends on how our relationship is and how strong I am. Right now, I may be on great terms with my Kyuubi, but you? _Naruto pretended to think about it. _No, we aren't close at all. There is a time limit after all; so even if you try to run, it will just bring your ass back._

Kyuubi growled and roared, while Naruto smirked. Naruto knew he had won that fight because Kyuubi was throwing a tantrum.

**Fine you damn brat; I will do this.**

~XX~

Freya was resting; just because in her past—or future, depending on how one looked at it—she was powerful and her body could handle that power, didn't mean her body could _now_. She and her team had been training their asses off; turning four in a half years of training in three months of training.

The fact that they knew how to do everything was a huge help factor to them. During their first training, learning it all took the most time; but now that they didn't need to learn it, cut down a lot of time. Now all they had to do was train their bodies.

Now, though, her team was resting. Freya and her team were outside, wearing almost nothing, and were lying on the ground. Both females had a tank top that was cut off two inches below their breasts and had on low cut panties. The male had no shirt on at all, the only thing he did have on was a pair of boxers.

Peyowa was lying down straight on his back; with Freya's head on the lower part of his chest, centimeters from stomach and Lezara's head was on the higher section of his chest. Their bodies were curled into him, both on different sides: Lezara on his right and Freya on his left.

The two females' positions mirrored each other. Freya's leg was curled around his left leg, and Lezara's right leg was wrapped around his right. Their left/right hand was on his stomach, while the other arm was between the girl's body and his. His arms were in their hair playing with it.

Freya needed the touch of someone she trusted when she wanted to be still; that meant when she was resting or sleeping. The three had become real close since they had first met. When they were out hunting, there was always one who was out on watch; the two that weren't, were curled up into each other. Every time they actually slept, someone was always holding Freya close.

In that position was how Kyuubi found them; when he found them like that, he remembered growing up with Kiki and how she was the same. He and Shukaku had always been the ones holding her tightly.

"Kyuu-chan," Freya greeted without moving or looking at him, "it is so good to see you after so long. I've missed you terribly."

**As I have hime, as have I,** Kyuubi answered, longing clear in his voice, t**he brat and his friend have sent me with a message. They want to know about any loopholes there are concerning those that die, must die.**

Freya didn't respond for a few seconds. "Who is it that they want to live? How many?"

**The brat showed me his memories when he first returned. I am assuming that there are two and that their names are Zabuza and Haku.**

Freya lifted her head and locked eyes with Kyuubi. "It seems that my boys are sensitive, tender hearted, touchy feely fools. No matter, they are good fighters; maybe a little training with me can cure them of that trait."

**Are you sure you want that? **Kyuubi asked as he looked deeper into her eyes; trying to see why she said that. Even he knew that she needed someone like that; that was one of the reasons why she chose her guys. She needed that in them.

She shrugged, "only time will tell," she said as she turned her glaze to the sky. The cloudy sky had become darker since the last time she looked at it. In a few minutes she knew it was going to rain.

"Mistress," Lezara started, "will you look for a loophole?"

Freya laid her head back down on his chest and waited for him to start stroking her hair again.

"Do they hold a reason why you should do what they want?" Peyowa asked as he started moving his fingers through her hair like he knew she loved.

Freya closed her eyes and was silent for a few seconds. Then as she was about to say something, the rain started coming down. "The both hold something over my head…" she paused as she tried to think of a better way to phrase that; at least the two didn't jump to conclusions and let her finish. "A better way to put that would be: I am holding something over my head _for_ them."

Silence consumed the trio and Demon once again as the rain started pelting them harder and harder. None of them minded, in fact, they actually liked it.

Peyowa waited until his Mistress raised her head and moved it closer to his face before opening his midnight black eyes and looked into her royal purple eyes. Fitting, he supposed, considering who she was.

Lezara saw the same question in her Mistress' eyes that her teammate did; but since it wasn't directed at her, she did not answer it. Usually it wouldn't matter, but this time, she had a feeling that her Mistress wanted it to come from Peyowa's mouth.

He thought about it as he tried to find the answer somewhere in the same eyes that spoke the question to him; sadly he couldn't find it. Instead, he moved his head forward a few centimeters till their foreheads touched.

"Mistress, hime, love, this is entirely up to you. I cannot tell you what to do. Like you tell us, there are sometimes where you can't look for the decision elsewhere; because it isn't going to be found somewhere other than in you." The black haired half-demon told her, "the only questions is where the answer is, here," he pointed to a spot right above her left breast, "or here," he kissed her forehead.

Freya closed her eyes again and laid her head back down on his bare chest. Seconds passed, those seconds turned to minutes, and the minutes turned to hours. Yet no one cared, they were content with the way things were.

When enough time had passed, when she had her answer, Freya opened her eyes and sat up and stretched. As she stretched her low cut tank top rose and her breasts were clearly showing. Even though Lezara and Peyowa were looking at her intently, they did not care one bit about the display of flesh their Mistress was showing.

When she was done stretching, she stood up and took off her tank top and panties while walking over toward the open door to the left of them. Her Hunters followed her, dropping their wet clothes down as well as they walked into the house.

As soon as they were in the house, they all made their way toward the bathroom. It was huge; it had to have been more than fifty foot both ways. It did not take long for the three of them to take a shower, dry off, and go into their bedrooms. It went quicker because they all showered together.

Quickly clothes were found, put on, and they left the house. They made their way out of their compound of the Palace and headed toward the South side.

Freya stopped walking when they came to this ancient looking temple like building. It was a simple building, that only had one room, but it was huge. Freya once took a guess and said it was over two hundred feet width and length combined.

She walked right to the center, with her two Hunters on each of her sides, behind a little. Kyuubi was walking behind them, with at least five feet between them. The two Hunters stopped about halfway toward the middle; while Freya continued on toward the three shadowed shapes sitting in the center of the building.

"Ah, child, welcome!" a young voice said softly.

"It is good to see you once again." A woman's voice greeted kindly.

"It seems you only visit us now when you want something." An old voice crackled humorously.

Freya gave them a warm smile. "Aye, it is good to see you three again, aunties. It does seem that way doesn't it? Sadly, that is the case once again; maybe in better times it will be different."

A snort came from the last one. "Better times? Ha! With you around, there will never be better times."

"Come to think of it," the middle one started. "It doesn't matter whether you are here or not."

"It's never a good time," the first one said, her voice seemed to take on a pouty tone. "You just need to come sooner, way sooner!"

Freya gave a good, loud, healthy, laugh; one that everyone had missed hearing. "A good point from each of you; just like always. I have come to ask a favor. All of you know I have traveled back into the past, something that couldn't have been kept from _any_ of you."

A giggle, chuckle, and cackle were heard in response to her words.

"Two men, who I owe, as all of you know; have come back with me, again something you know; have asked that two people they had come to care for during the short time they had come to know them in their first life, be kept alive this time." Freya explained. "I have come to see if there is a way to keep them alive without upsetting the balance of time."

"I was sad when they died!" the young voice sniffed.

"Yes, it was sad indeed when one who has many looses in their lives loose someone who has taught them something important." the middle voice said sadly.

"It's hard to become attached in the first place, but when you do, and they die soon after you meet, it is hard indeed." the old voice chimed in with a sorrow tone.

Freya bowed her head. "Yes, it is something that all of here know. I propose a trade off, these two lives for the quickened death of others."

"Oooh! I want that stupid banshee girl!" the young voice claimed quickly.

"I would like the four minions and both silver haired ones." the middle voice requested.

"I insist on the snake," the old voice demanded.

Freya bowed, "it shall be down, goodbye aunties!" she said as she started to walk away, and once she got close to the doors she heard three voices.

"Next time you better come back, without wanting something!" an old voice crowed.

"Don't be a stranger, little one," a woman's voice invited.

"Come back soon!" a child's voice called.

~XX~

Kyuubi had come back into the Human World; he noticed that it was still night. So either he had been gone a whole day or time was way different in the worlds. His question as answered by his host not even a few seconds later.

"Wow, that didn't take long. So, what happened? Tell us everything!" Naruto said in his gossip whore voice.

Sasuke hit him on the head in response. "Just tell us the answer, no need to explain to this idiot why you can't tell me every little detail."

For the first time, Kyuubi had respect for an Uchiha. The Demon's only worry now was what he was going to tell him. Should he tell them that these lives would cost eight others? Not that any of them really cared; but he had a feeling a few of those deaths would be disposed of by Freya herself.

"She negotiated for the lives you wanted," Kyuubi said before he let himself disappear.

"Wait! What do you mean negotiated?" Shika called out, but was too late.

Naruto and the others groaned, "we wanted more answers."

"Good look with that," Sasuke snorted. "He told you all he could have."

Naruto looked thoughtful. "Has she bound you in a Jutsu?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "No, and she doesn't have to. Everyone who knows her secrets love her more than enough to keep every last one of them until they die."

"So you love her?" Neji asked softly.

Sasuke sighed. "See, this is why I didn't want to tell any of you. None of you would understand."

"Try us," Naruto encouraged as he sat on the ground.

Sasuke wanted to tell them, but he knew it would bring trouble down on her, more unanswered questions. But he owed them a least a little explanation.

"I found her when I was around six or so; in the forest right outside the Uchiha compound." Sasuke started off his tale with a far off tone in his voice; it was as if he was remembering it. "Not a very good first impression let me tell you."

"What was she doing?" Naruto asked quietly.

"She was trying to kill herself," was the answer; a few of their eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"She had always been able to see things, things no one should have seen; especially a child. Nikki, her older sister, told me awhile later that she had been seeing things ever since she was a baby. Everyone in the Head Compound—in their Village—would wake to a screaming baby every night; until they stopped trying to get her to go to sleep. After a few months, Nikki put a Jutsu on her that made her grow into a five year old. And until she became five, she didn't grow at all."

Silence.

"How could she have seen things? What kind of things?" Shika questioned.

"War, death, her killing various people she didn't even remember killing. Goes to show you shouldn't go berserk with your father after someone kills your mother." Sasuke shrugged and continued on with the story. "No one knew that she had been trying to kill herself; only Nikki. Nikki had been cleaning up after the attempts for years; she didn't mind after she saw a few seconds of one of her little sister's visions."

Sasuke closed his eyes. "Freya, she never got any of them to work. Something would always stop her. When I saw her, I had observed the trap after I ran and found Itachi. It seemed she was about fifty foot in the air, and every ten foot she had paper bomb, kunai, mini swords, any kind of weapon you can name. Then at the bottom she had earth spikes everywhere where it wouldn't where she landed."

The little Uchiha looked truly old as he told this. "I found her and saw her jump. I screamed and ran for Itachi, who was already running toward me. He picked her up, and carried her back to our compound. After that, for two years the four of us became close. I admit to having a crush on Nikki, but it was never real; just like Freya's crush on Itachi. We were so comfortable with each other, our teamwork was amazing, and we all cared about each other. Freya told us everything about her; and we all were fiercely protective of her."

Naruto saw the look on Sasuke's face; he knew that Sasuke cared about this girl very much. It was as if she held a part of Sasuke that no one could ever touch.

"A month before my clan was killed. My father did a stupid move that started to split us up. He wanted Freya, and he wanted her to marry into the clan. Her mother, the leader of their Village, just brushed it off and said it was up to her daughters. So there we were, all happy with each other, and we had to decide who we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with. Nikki chose Itachi, just like she did before." Sasuke added that last part cryptically.

"Freya never wanted a fiancé; she just wanted friends; she wanted someone that she could just curl up with at night when she couldn't sleep. Not that she wasn't doing that already, but she hated the divide that this was creating; not to mention she was helping Itachi deal with the coup at the time. Something I didn't know; I learned later that she was begging him almost every day to be the one to kill the clan, trying to spare Itachi. She knew that Itachi would be completely ripped apart if he did this."

Naruto put a hand on his friend shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze in silent support.

"She was right, when she told me time after time, that Itachi was never meant to be a Shinobi. My brother was too gentle, too kind hearted, he hated bloodshed. Yet, he destroyed our entire clan to protect me. There were three reasons why he chose to destroy himself. One was that he wanted to protect me, and save me from them; two was because of Freya, they wanted to use her in the battle ahead. Why not? She had the Sharingan, no different than any other Uchiha. And three," he looked directly at Naruto. "They wanted to use the Kyuubi host to wreck havoc on the Village."

"And that could have if they used that damn Sharingan," Naruto cursed.

"That and Freya would have been able to make him do anything of his own free will." Sasuke added bitterly. "The attack went as planned, Itachi killed everyone, but I had gotten home late because she had made damn sure I stayed late to practice throwing kunai. She went home to her Village, finding everyone dead by her sister's hand."

Everyone blinked. "Her sister took out an entire Village? Why?"

"Nikki was helping Itachi clean out all of the Uchiha's so that no one would be able to use the Sharingan to control the Kyuubi. Someone saw her, and alerted her mother. Her mother went after her and Nikki killed them all. When Freya came home, there were still a few alive." Sasuke's eyes closed in pain. "You have no idea how hard it is for her, when she sees blood, to not go into a blood rage. Nikki had to kill the rest of the Village to spare her sister any pain. After that, I have no idea what happened. That is everything Itachi told me."

Naruto grabbed Sasuke by the shoulder and pulled the raven to him. The blonde then held his friend as the Uchiha let go of everything that had happened to him in the past. He wanted to see Freya again, so badly, but he could wait until she came to him.

"Did you love her that much?" Naruto whispered in Sasuke's ear.

Sasuke chuckled. "You're asking me if I loved her like a lover?" the Hokage nodded and Sasuke snorted at his Hokage's absurdity. "Please, no one can tie that woman down. Yes, I love her, but not romantically. If anyone got her to love them like that, I wouldn't know whether I would praise God for a miracle or kill them."

Naruto laughed as his arms tightened around Sasuke. "So, I guess we can save Zabuza and Haku, eh?"

Sasuke pulled away from his friend and his eyes narrowed. "That is what I'm worried about; nothing ever comes without a price with her."

Shika's eyes widened in realization; "that would make sense, it seemed too easy that all we had to do was ask and we got it."

Sasuke looked away from his friends. "I wouldn't put it past her to think she owes me a debt that can't be repaid. No matter how many times I tell her…" Sasuke trailed off before he shook his head to clear it. "It doesn't matter; but if she did what I think she did, the price may become too much to bear."

~XX~

"I think the first time around that battle was much harder." Naruto commented as he and Sasuke were trading blows in the forest near where Haku would be soon. They didn't want to scare him off though, so they created a Charka barrier around them.

Sasuke gave his future Hokage a look of disbelief. "Of course it was you dobe! We were so fucking weak, of course it was harder. Though," the raven smirked, "it was fun secretly zapping Kaka's Charka so he would faint at the end."

Naruto nodded as he dodged his friend's Lightning powered Sword. "Yeah, we had to find a way to get him to let Haku take Zabuza away without that damn water bubble! I mean come on," Naruto whined as his Wind powered Sword almost hit Sasuke; "the battle the first time was way too boring, we had to change it up a little."

Sasuke chuckled as he did connect his Sword with Naruto's body; of course, Naruto got a hit in as well. "Well, I'll bite; it was more interesting this time around. Everything seems to be, you know?"

Naruto nodded as he stepped his game up a notch and launched himself harder and more deadly at Sasuke; who just gave a 'eat shit smirk' and kicked his game to match his Hokage.

~XX~

A few days later, when they were lying down on the ground, exhausted from using too much Charka during their little training session, Haku came.

"You know, dobe, you are an idiot. If someone attacked us now, we would be sitting ducks!" Sasuke groaned as he tried to move and couldn't. Damn his Hokage for wanted to try and fight on their old level; and damn himself for not saying no.

"Ha! Of course you would know about ducks, wouldn't you, duck butt hair!" Naruto laughed as he pointed.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and wished sometimes that his Hokage would just drop that joke; it was really getting old. So he flipped him off and replied, "shut up dobe, it's not like I can't make fun of your _spiky_ hair."

As if on cue, Haku walked into the clearing and tilted his head at the two Leaf Gennin that were lying down on the ground, wait, no they weren't lying down on the ground. They were launching themselves at each other and fighting while rolling on the ground together.

Haku giggled and it stopped the two boys; which just made Haku giggle more. They stopped in a weird position. The blonde had the Sasuke's left leg in the air, and he was sitting on top of him with one of Sasuke's hands fisted into the blonde hair, and the other one around his neck.

Of course they were totally trying to kill each other, but it didn't stop Haku from imagining them as lovers.

Sasuke sighed and just kicked Naruto off of him. "Always trying to get me into a gay position, aren't you dobe?"

Naruto huffed and rolled his eyes. "Why would I try anything? You know you've always wanted me."

Sasuke chuckled and shook his head. "I remember someone else throwing themselves after me…reminds me of a fan girl or two."

Naruto froze, his eyes horrified as he came to realization as well. In response he became so still that he could have been mistaken for a statue. Sasuke just kicked him over and let him lie down on the ground.

The raven looked up at Haku at started talking. "We know who you are Haku."

The girly boy didn't even react; he just waited for Sasuke to continue.

"We don't want to fight, and we know you don't want to either." Sasuke respected Haku even more, seeing how he didn't let any emotions escape. "We have a plan that lets no one die. You know as well as we do, that Zabuza might just loose against Kakashi."

"And he will," Naruto said seriously as he sat up, his eyes on Haku. "Kakashi has summons, and I don't think Zabuza has any. Kakashi will do anything to win that fight, and I don't think Zabuza can handle everything Kakashi's got. But we don't want Zabuza nor you to die."

Haku didn't know what to say or think. How did they know so much about his master and him? How did they know that he didn't like killing? That he would try not to kill them? "What are you proposing?"

Naruto was silent for a moment. "I know a lot of Medic Ninjutsu, I can heal Zabuza. Not only that, once this is over and we all walk away with our lives, I have a business proposition for the two of you in the future. I say that we kill Gato before he kills the two of you, and I can make it where you two can go back to our Village. One where you can do what you want to do. You won't have to kill the Kage, like Zabuza did in Mist."

Haku stood silent for a moment, thinking that he only had two ways out of this. Kill them, well attempt to kill them, he had a feeling that they were above his level; or take them to Zabuza. The boy knew he only had one choice; and they all knew it.

"If I take you to him, how do I know you won't kill him with your Medic Ninjutsu?" Haku questioned his voice emotionless.

"I will make a Seal that will kill me the moment I deviate from anything that would heal him. I know for a fact, that Zabuza knows the Seal."

"How do you know that?" Haku demanded, as far as he knew, his master didn't know Seals.

Naruto smirked. "Your master made it."

~XX~

The battle started, and Naruto did what he had done the first time around. The blonde made damn well sure that Tazuna's daughter and grandson didn't get kidnapped, killed, or worse raped. It didn't take long for Naruto to kill the two thug mercenaries and get to his place on the bridge.

The journey to the bridge was shorter than he remembered it; but he arrived a little late for Sasuke's liking, and he got chewed out because of it too.

Haku just laughed the two of them. "So, what is the plan now?"

Naruto went into Hokage mode. "We will pretend that Sasuke got the Sharingan fighting you. For now, we either wait for Gato and the other men he hired to take the two of you out. We'll kill them, and then we leave the Land of Waves. You and Zabuza know what to do, and you know how to contact us."

Haku nodded, a few moments went by before he realized that he was very bored. Of course, being the kind of person he was, he didn't say anything about it. He didn't have to; Naruto said it for him.

Naruto may have changed from the person he used to be; but there were still some traits left. Some of the traits that lingered Sasuke was sure that Naruto only used as a front, a way to keep people off his back. To those that didn't know him, it worked; but for those that did know him, it didn't.

"I am so bored!" Naruto whined, acting like the child he looked like.

No one responded to his whine, though, because they heard the crackle of lightning—Kakashi was using Chidori already.

Naruto and Sasuke shared a look, a look that held an entire conversation in it. After Naruto accepted Sasuke back, there had been no lies between them; maybe a withholding of information here and there, but it was never important. They trusted no one else more with their lives, secrets, and memories. They were brothers; their bond went deeper than blood. When one woke up from nightmares of the war, the other was there to comfort them.

They knew it would have been perfect if they were lovers…but their love for each other didn't take that turn; too many things had happened between that had destroyed that chance. They were alike in many ways, opposite in many ways; but in one thing they shared absolute similarity. They knew that they were incapable of being loved; they thought they were worth nothing; death and war did that to the strongest.

The look they shared conveyed emotions since buried. The pain of death, the death of someone they cared for; they had buried the pain of their comrades' death during the war deep inside their hearts and mind. Not even Kyuubi could get to it.

They had informed Zabuza of the Chidori and Kakashi's summons. There was a chance that as soon as Kaka summoned his famous Jutsu, that Zabuza would kill him. They had made a deal after all; if Kaka used it, Zabuza had the right to defend himself. They didn't want either of them dead…and just a few days with Zabuza had made them like the older man. To them, he was kind of like Kakashi.

And now, if they didn't act, one of them could die.

Sasuke nodded, and Naruto vanished. During the war, Naruto had lived up to and surpassed his father concerning speed. Naruto didn't even need the special kunai, all he had to do was picture the Seal in his mind, add his Chakra, place it on the person in his mind and he could teleport instantly.

Sasuke was right behind him; the raven took Zabuza and the fox had Kakashi.

Naruto swept Kakashi's legs out from under him; then not even a second later he used his right hand, gripped Kaka's neck and slammed him into the ground; at the same time his left hand channeled Charka in it and canceled the older man's Chidori as their hands collided.

Sasuke pulled Zabuza backwards away from his teammates and pinned the Demon of the Mist's arms behind his back so he couldn't do anything. His Hokage didn't want anyone dying, and neither did he.

"Naruto!" Kakashi growled as he struggled to move, but Naruto had his ass pinned down. The blonde put his knee on Kaka's stomach so the older man couldn't move.

"Shut up," Naruto said with his voice deathly calm. Kaka and Zabuza both did a double take; they had never heard a child talk like that. A child never held power in their voice, not like this; Naruto's voice demanded obedience. And it got it.

"Sasuke, keep hold of him; if Gato thinks we have Zabuza beat; he will go ahead with his plan."

Uchiha nodded and tightened his grip.

"Haku," Naruto called and the boy was by his side in a flash.

Haku took two seconds to look at the situation and nodded. "Do you have to hold him so tight?"

Sasuke smirked and pulled Zabuza's arms into a very uncomfortable position; he received a hiss in response.

"Now, now, Sasuke," Naruto chided, "you don't have to be rough. I'm not the Snake."

Sasuke snorted. "If you were, I'd killed you a long time ago."

Naruto just chuckled. "And you would've gotten your ass kicked; very badly I might add."

Their chitchat was interrupted by a laugh. It seemed Gato was here, and he had taken the bait.

"So the Demon of the Mist really is weak; getting his ass beat by a child, a little boy. I knew I shouldn't have hired you." Gato spat as he took a few steps closer.

"This child is going to kill you," Uchiha told him, his voice emotionless. After he said that he looked at Naruto, who shook his head.

Before anyone could blink, half the mercenaries that were standing behind and around Gato were dead, blood spraying everywhere. Another second later, all were dead but Gato.

Neither Naruto nor Sasuke saw how they died, but they knew they were dead.

"What the fuck?" Gato screamed as he started backing up toward the Konoha shinobi.

"I don't think thank so," a deep male voice said. "You are founded to be a Rogue, you are charged as a Rogue, and your sentenced is death."

Gato suddenly became gulped in flame and was screaming for someone to put fire out. When no one did, he ran and jumped into the Ocean; but he didn't get that far. Two feet from the edge, he collapsed. Then his body became mincemeat by a sword that the male who spoke earlier held. Then he burned the body.

The male was tall, over five foot six, he had the darkest black hair anyone had ever seen; his eyes were the same color. His skirt was black, and the sleeves didn't go past the halfway point between his shoulder and elbow. His arms were white and bare, except for black inked tattoos. His pants were long, tight, and leather. His shoes were half scandal half boot with a boat that stopped at his thigh.

There was a symbol on his left sleeve: it was a circle that had two swords crossed with an infinity sign cutting through them in the middle.

Naruto and Sasuke both noticed that it was one of the Vicis Ninja from the future.

And he was gone as quick as he came; leaving way more questions in the two future Shinobi's heads.

_To be continued..._

**IF you want the answers to the challenge (IT WILL SPOIL THINGS) I will tell you!**_  
_


	5. Chapter 5

**MOON SAYS: **Sorry it took so long, I've been so busy with school work that I haven't even thought about much fanfic stuff. I have only two more chapters written, the chapter outlines are done though. **  
**

**WORDS: **5, 552**  
**

**PAGES: **12**  
**

**ENJOY!**

**~Hunters~**

**Chapter 5**

"You ready?" Naruto asked his team as they looked at the Academy.

Sasuke sent him a look. This time the exams would be different. But he had discussed it with their group and warned them all about the price of keeping Zabuza and Haku alive. The Uchiha had a feeling that a few others had lost their lives…

They just wondered who, and how many.

"Let's go," Sakura ordered as she grabbed her teammate's hands and dragged them into the building.

When they got up one floor the same scene was seen. Those two Chuunin were blocking them and had a Genjutsu up and running like before. Neji was looking bored as he watched his teammates make an ass out of themselves because they couldn't see through it.

Naruto sighed and raised his voice. "If any one Gennin in this hallway cannot see through that fucking Genjutsu, you need to leave right now. And maybe quit being Ninjas while you're at it."

To be honest, Naruto couldn't say shit, because the first time around, he hadn't seen the fucking Genjutsu either. But he was distracted by Fuzzy Brows…speaking of them, was that how Gai won all his fights? His opponents were too distracted by what he looked like?

Sasuke and Neji chuckled as they headed up to the next floor with their other teammates trailing behind them. Naruto had not followed them yet; he was going to deal with these losers. He made a quick look over the Gennin who were in the Hallway and didn't see anyone that was important and turned toward the two Genjutsu users.

"Will you make sure these morons don't go on? I'd hate to waste my time trying to kill them all off in the Second Exam."

They grinned and rubbed their hands together. "Now, that sounds like fun."

~XX~

The group met during that night after the First Exam. Naruto was lying on his back, staring up at the sky, with Shika lying right next to him. Neji and Sasuke were leaning on opposite sides of the tree that was directly behind their Hokage.

"Are we just going to get the scrolls and finish as fast as we can, or are we going to eliminate a few teams?" Neji asked as he closed his eyes.

"Did anyone see the Vicis Ninja in the First Exam?" Shika countered Neji's question with his own.

Naruto shot up and grabbed Shika. "Were they there?"

Shika looked conflicted as he answered. "They entered the Exams, that I do know, but I didn't see them. I felt their weird Chakra in the room, but couldn't locate them."

Naruto let go of his friend and sighed as he leaned back down. "I guess we are fixing to find out what price we had to pay for those two lives. I wonder how we will feel…"

~XX~

"Okay, listen up boys!" Sakura called and turned toward them, as much as she could, considering they were all sitting in a tree. "We want to get through this as quick as we can. So, we each need to split up and find some scrolls."

Naruto and Sasuke locked eyes. She had improved; she was halfway to where she was when she had died. The only thing that could make her better was Tsunade and they just had to wait a few months for that. But with Vicis' Ninja out there, and Orochimaru, could they trust that she would be safe?

"You know, lions throw their cubs off a cliff and then throw rocks at them as they climb back up." Sakura informed them, hope clearly evident in her voice.

The future ANBU leader tipped his head to the side. That one move meant that it was Naruto's decision. Naruto sighed and gave in.

"You have three hours. Meet us at the tree." Naruto ordered, his tone showed that there was no room for argument in his voice.

Sakura giggled and clapped her hands, thanking him before running off. _By getting a scroll that we need and eliminating a few teams, Sasuke will have to notice me!_

Naruto watched her go with a look on his face that had the youngest Uchiha worried.

"What is it, Hokage-sama?"

"I've just got a bad feeling about this. Even though we don't like her, I can't help but worry about her. What if her hastened death is the price or one of them?" Naruto's voice was neutral and held no emotion, but Sasuke could always read his friend.

Sasuke knew that if that was the case then her death would be on his head; just like before. Except this time, unlike last time, it would be direct intervention on his part. It would be as if he threw the kunai himself; as if Naruto killed her with his own hand.

~XX~

"You have your assignments," Freya spoke up as she leaned up against the tree behind her. Her two teammates nodded.

"What will you be doing, Princess?" Lezara asked, as she started messing with her weapon holder; making sure that everything she needed was in there. "You never did tell us what you would be doing."

"I didn't?" Freya frowned. "I will be taking two off our list."

The male nodded and left to do his part in the second Exam. The red headed female bowed and went after her targets while Freya closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to locate her targets.

Her eyes snapped open and she smirked. "Well, well, well, it seems luck has favored me this day."

Two males, with cloth that ran from their noses to a few inches below their chins, just stared at her; one had dark glasses the other had clear ones that she knew he had to have to actually see. The other one, a silver headed glasses wearing Gennin just tilted his head before he spoke.

"What do you mean, luck has favored you? It is unfortunate that _you_ have met _us_." Kabuto responded with a fake smile on his face.

Freya laughed and a sly, yet murderous, grin appeared on her face that made all three males step back. "You won't be saying that after I get through with you."

~XX~

Sasuke and Naruto had both returned with a few scrolls each and were just waiting for Sakura now. Five minutes past before they felt someone approach.

"Fuck," Naruto groaned as he saw what was coming.

It was a giant Snake Summon and it was coming right for him. He braced himself, and let it hit him. The hit sent him flying thirty foot away, instead of more than fifty, all because he braced himself.

By the time he took care of the damn Snake, careful not to show all of his skill (because he had no idea who was watching) he knew that Sasuke was already fighting Orochimaru, the pedophile.

When Naruto came into view, Orochimaru and Sasuke stopped fighting and looked at him. The former was looking contemplated and started murmuring. "I had thought that I had taken care of the little one's teammates…"

Neither Sasuke nor Naruto had paid attention to what he said until it was way too late.

Forgetting that the Snake had spoken, they launched themselves at him, only to be thrown back. Their backs smacked into trees, effectively almost knocking them out. The two Shinobi from the future knew what it felt like to slip into the darkness and knew it was only seconds before they were gone.

The last thing they heard was a familiar, female voice, talking to the Snake Sannin.

"I think it's time you leave. Now is not the time to continue with this. Go."

~XX~

"Did the both of you finish with your missions?" Freya asked as she distracted herself by looking at the almost dead Ninja on the ground.

It was pitiful how weak the human body was. If one wasn't careful, there wasn't much torture one could inflict on a human without breaking them completely.

"Yes, Mistress, all the teams from Sound are dead."

"Good job Zara. What about you, Yowa?" came the next question as she titled her head to the side, considering what more torture could be inflicted on this human before the body gave out and died.

"All other teams except the Konoha Twelve and the Sand Team aren't going to the next round." Then as an afterthought he added. "And so will our team, but that was already a given."

Freya nodded at her fellow half demons and stood up. "I have two more jobs to do this night, and then we head for the Tower. First, though…" she trailed off as she kicked the head off of the human dying on the forest floor. The head hit a nearby tree and shattered.

~XX~

Naruto woke to a soft, female, voice that was very familiar. She was calling his name, trying to speak softly in case his head had gotten damaged when it played chicken with the tree and lost.

Playing chicken with a tree? And losing? What kind of Kage was he?

The future Hokage opened his blue eyes and saw concerned and worried green ones looking down on him.

Never before had he seen Sakura look at him like that before. Even in the future, when they were on better terms and she had 'accepted' him. To Naruto, it was as if someone else was looking at him, not Sakura. The blonde could tell that her emotions were true and not faked in any way.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" she asked as she helped him sit up slowly, as to not hurt him anymore. "Does anywhere hurt?" Sakura questioned as she went into what he dubbed 'medic' mode.

The blonde male was about to say what was wrong, but Sakura was already moving. She reached through her pack and got a few pills out and some water and made him drank it. After it was done, he felt better. Naruto blinked up at Sakura as she left him to doctor Sasuke, who hadn't woken up yet.

How did Sakura know what he was feeling?

The future Kage shook it off and went over what happened in his head. Then, as he remembered the Hebi, he was by Sasuke's side and grabbed his head and moved it side to side to see if he was bitten. When the blonde Hokage saw nothing, no mark, he sighed in relief and collapsed beside his best friend.

The Uchiha let out the breath he had been holding. His onyx eyes turned on his female teammate. The raven had seen the difference in her just like Naruto had.

"Sakura, what happened to you?"

Sakura went pale and bit her lip. She took a deep breath and started telling them what happened. "I had thought I was ready for this, you know? But…I wasn't." her eyes teared up as she continued. "I saw two teams wipe each other out. There was blood everywhere. A few minutes had passed and I went down to check their scrolls…and…"

Sakura closed her eyes and started rocking back and forth. When she opened her eyes, they saw true fear and horror in those green depths. "They were from Sound. They came in, and started to attack me. I couldn't do anything. It was then I realized how powerless I really was…am. I got beat up pretty bad, thought I was going to die. And my hair even got cut." She gave a bitter laugh.

They hadn't even noticed that her hair was cut since they were always used to her hair being short. The two males didn't say anything; they let her tell this at her own pace.

"I closed my eyes, excepting the final blow, you know? But instead there was nothing. I opened my eyes and there was a guy wearing black, he had ink on his body and he has the blackest eyes I had ever seen before. He killed them; and then he healed me. The symbol for his Village was one I had never seen before."

She then went and described the Vicis symbol.

"I had a sudden revelation. I knew I treated Naruto like shit, just because Sasuke paid attention to him. I still wanted Sasuke…but as I was about to die everything gone into focus. I made a promise that if I lived, I would stop going after Sasuke. I would stop giving Kunoichi a bad name. I would treat Naruto like he deserved. I would train; I would not be weak anymore." She started rambling, but they let her go on.

That was why Sakura was acting different. They nodded and each hugged her. "We're glad your okay."

~XX~

When they got to the tower they were ushered into a room with the three other teams from Konoha. The Shinobi from the future each exchanged a look.

"They said that there is only a day left, yet where are the other Konoha teams?" Shika asked quietly as they came together. "What about that Spy, Kabuto? What about the others that passed last time? What about Sound?"

Naruto and Sasuke shook their heads. "Sound is dead. Sakura came across them when she went off by herself; the male Vicis killed them and healed her."

When they saw the looks that the other two gave them when they said Sakura went off by herself, they rolled their eyes.

"Her decision, she decided to split up. Anyway, they are dead. We don't know anything about Kabuto's team."

They were interrupted when Gaara poked his head in the room. "We need to start the Preliminaries." His eyes locked with Naruto's and he smirked. "You are so going down Uzumaki. My team is going to merk yours."

Naruto grinned and started after him. "No, Red Midget, yours is going down!"

The others sighed, while the non-future Shinobi looked between them with confused looks. "What?"

Shika just shook his head and said his phrase. He had finally relaxed when he said it; but not even a second later his head was smacked.

"What did I say about that word?" Temari growled at her would be husband.

Instead of answering, Shika ran after the two Kages.

Kankuro just chuckled. "They're still going at it?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Which ones? Our so called 'leaders' or the abusive relationship? You're her sister, why don't you get her to cut him a break?"

"You really think I'm stupid enough to get in the middle of that?" Kankuro shrugged. "Both?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Neji responded as he followed after Temari, who was chasing Shika down.

As they entered the huge room they heard Naruto telling Shika to be a man and face the woman. Temari then turned on Naruto and Gaara had to save him.

Neji, Kankuro, and Sasuke just muttered, "idiots, the lot of them," as they took their places beside their friends.

When they lined up in the arena, from left to right stood: Gaara's team, Naruto's team, Shika's team, Neji's team, Kiba's team and a team they hadn't noticed yet, the Vicis team.

The Third Hokage, and a few Jounin's said their stuff, they waited for the first line up to stop.

**GAARA VS TENTEN**

Naruto chuckled and as Gaara readied to go down he put his hand on his friends shoulder. "Don't try and kill this one, like you tried with the green one."

Gaara rolled his eyes. "What do you take me for?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Naruto asked with an eyebrow raised.

That fight didn't last long at all. Instead of waiting for her to get tired and use all of her weapons, Gaara just appeared behind her, tripped her, and crushed her to the ground with his sand, making sure she couldn't get up…until she gave up of course.

Which she totally did, in under a minute too!

When he came back up to the group he smirked. "Beat that, bitches."

"I'll take that challenge," a husky female voice responded as she made her way down to the center.

Sasuke just smirked and sat on the railing. "You better beat that, or you'll never live it down. Think what Itachi would say."

A few Konoha Ninjas gasped at his words. Itachi was a traitor and they were talking as if they were friends with him! Shouldn't Sasuke hate him for what he did?

Freya scowled. "Itachi would kick my ass, and you know it." Then as an afterthought she grinned. "And what about Nikki? You want me to go get her so she can watch you make a fool of yourself today?"

It was Sasuke turn to scowl. "Don't you dare invite her. If you do, I will find that stash of yours and start showing people."

Freya's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare! It wasn't my fault! It was Itachi's idea…he had the sake! He and Nikki tricked me, how was I supposed to know it was sake they were giving me? And if I remember, you had a bottle or two, yourself."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, but I didn't make a fool of myself. I also don't think those pictures include many of me."

The girl slowly smiled, Sasuke flinched. "No, there was just a few of you mooning us."

Sasuke hissed and started doing a Jutsu, to which she laughed at. "Even if you go, you won't find them," she said in a sing song voice. He stopped mid Jutsu. "And why the fuck not?"

She chuckled, "they aren't in the Village. They're at my father's home; and last time I checked you can't get there."

Sasuke sighed and was surprised at who interrupted them.

"Freya, my dear, don't you think you should start the fight?" Sarutobi said in his grandfather voice.

Freya rolled her eyes. "Yes, granddaddy, I think I should." Her voice mocked him.

She turned toward her opponent who nodded and turned toward the Procter. "I quit."

She acknowledged her win and turned toward Gaara. "I don't think it took as long as yours."

Everyone was stunned. Was Freya really the Third's granddaughter? Was this the woman that Sasuke would kill and die for? She looked just like her older self, but younger and shorter.

"Freya, can I talk to you?" the Third asked.

She didn't even turn to him as she made her way up the steps. "No, you lost the right to talk to me when you betrayed me to Minato."

Naruto's head snapped up and he locked eyes with her. Freya nodded slowly, to the question burning in his eyes. Was it his dad that she was talking about? So, not only did she have something to do with Sasuke, and Time Travel, but his father as well?

Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the next couple chosen.

"Will Kankuro and Kiba come down to the arena?"

Gaara turned his glaze to Sasuke, grinned and got Freya's attention. "Can I have those pictures of wonder boy over here?"

Freya tilted her head. "What will you use them for?"

Gaara smirked. "Blackmail of course; I need leverage over the blonde."

Naruto looked outraged as the others laughed at him. "I see how it is! Just wait until you guys need help or rescued. See if I do either!"

"Don't you dare Freya," Sasuke growled as his Shringan came out. Not even a second later, she had her own out and they had a staring match. Only three seconds had elapsed before Freya started chuckling and Sasuke was glaring. It seemed that she had won.

"Can I get on with my fight?" Kankuro asked hesitantly. The others seem to have forgotten who she was and what they had seen her do; but he hadn't.

At her nod, he and Kiba launched into their fight.

Naruto couldn't forget that she was somehow connected to his dad. Sasuke bumped his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "She will tell you in time. She hasn't finished with her game yet, but once it's through, she'll give us the knowledge that we seek. Just be patient, Hokage-sama."

Naruto nodded and focused on the fight before, which he was surprised that the fight was already finished. He looked at Gaara who still looked smug.

"I so have all of you beat." Gaara boasted. "That other battle with her, didn't count because if the opponent obeys you, it don't count."

Naruto slipped into his childish façade and closed his eyes looking all contemplated while he crossed his arms, like he had done many a time. "True, Gaara, so true."

The others rolled their eyes and tried to keep the grins off their faces.

They didn't have to wait long until the next battle was announced.

**NARUTO VS HINATA.**

Neji lost control and collapsed in laughter. "You are one unlucky fucker, Naruto. Let's see how _you_ get out of this without _killing_ her."

Gaara's eyes danced with mirth as Naruto's own words came back on him.

Naruto watched Hinata walk with her head down into the arena. He glared at Neji, who flinched at the harshness in his Hokage's eyes. Said Hokage stalked slowly toward Neji, who when he got there, was thrown up against the wall.

"Do you know what you just did fucker?" Naruto hissed in his ear. "You just destroyed her. Wait until we are finished here, then I will deal with you."

As he let Neji down, the ANBU leader just nodded and looked remorseful.

Naruto jumped down and quickly took his place. "Hinata, ignore that dipshit you call a cousin. He was messing with me, he wasn't laughing at you, okay?" his voice borderlined pleading and everyone knew it.

Hinata bit her lip and nodded. The poor girl knew she stood no chance against her crush and idol; and she wasn't sure what to do about it. And he just defended her to her powerful cousin! She didn't know what to do.

The Hyuuga Heiress knew that she couldn't hurt her crush, but a part of her wanted to win. What was she supposed to do?

Naruto could clearly see her inner turmoil written out on her face.

"Hinata, I want you to fight me seriously; I want you to give me everything you've got. No matter what happens in this fight, you will be strong, yes?" Naruto was tapping into his Hokage voice, but not overdoing it. There was a reason why he was Hokage. He could get Ninjas that hated him to fight for whatever he wanted them to.

Hinata nodded, her confidence went through the roof and she slipped into position. When the Procter said begin, she launched herself at Naruto.

He dodged her effortlessly; but he couldn't get a hit on. Not when he was using Chuunin level. They danced for a little while, before Naruto saw an opening. Hinata had gone slightly off balance. He disappeared and appeared behind her, tripped her. Instead of falling she started walk tripping. Naruto tied her hands together, before he shoved Charka into her arms. It wasn't Hyuuga style, but it plugged them up.

She regained her balance, but her hands were still tied together. She turned slowly, until she was facing him. She saw something in his eyes, and knew that even if she got her hands free, she would still loose. Hinata flexed her hands, trying to put charka in them, but realized that she couldn't.

That was when everything connected for her. She had lost as soon as he got her arms. The raven haired Heiress nodded. "I forfeit."

Naruto gave her a smile and walked toward her to untie her and fix her arms. "You did great. Usually I get them sooner. You lasted longer than Neji did last time we sparred."

And they were playing at Chuunin level too. Hinata smiled and went back up to where her team was.

Naruto, on the other hand, connected eyes with Neji and glared. Even more so when he heard that Neji was fighting next. Neji quickly jumped down and stood by Naruto.

"No Gentle Fist or Byaukgan," Naruto ordered and pulled out a Paper Seal and put it in between Neji's eyes and channeled his Chakra through it. His eyes glowed and turned blue, and the Seal Symbol glowed on the space between his eyes.

"This is just part of it," Naruto warned as he disappeared and reappeared up top, with Sasuke immediately at his side; Shika was on his other side—where Neji should have been. Sakura was sitting on the railing in front of him.

The adults had no idea what the fuck was going on, and they had no idea how to go about dealing with it; so they did nothing and just watched everything unfold. After all, if she really was his granddaughter, they couldn't do anything. Just looking from the way they all reacted, if someone made a move against one, they made a move against all of them. Not to mention anyone looking at the Kyuubi brat, any look at all, the Sand Demon would give them the evil, death, eye.

Even without his signature shit, Neji still kicked Choji's ass. Choji was busy running around and getting tired. After a few run ins with walls and the floor, Neji had him transformed back and sat on him, while holding a kunai to his neck.

When the Hyuuga came back up, he stood up against the wall on Shika's side; not even trying to make contact with Naruto or the others. Kankuro gave him a sympatric look combined with a mocking one. That fucker was always sending mixed signals. One minute he got out of all that negative attitude, then the next it was full blown, as if he was making up for lost time.

The long raven haired ANBU just sighed and looked up to see who was fighting next.

**SAKURA VS SHINO **

Well now, wasn't this going to be interesting? The first time around, she couldn't even beat Ino..so how was she going to beat Shino, who was way above their level?

Gaara looked over to the Vicis Ninja as the two combatants went down. The leader wasn't paying attention, but the other two were…as if they had been waiting for this fight. What was going on?

Shino didn't say anything as he waited for the pink haired girl to make a move.

Sakura disappeared and reappeared behind him, Shino jumped back, but that was just what Haruno wanted. It seemed as if she had been there the whole time, and she kicked him up, as if she was going to copy Lee's move. Instead of continuing kicking him up, she slammed her foot flat against his back and he flew into wall that was directly in front of him.

He crumbled to the floor, but quickly regained his balance. Everyone could feel the negative emotions emitting from him. Shino was about to release his bugs when stopped moving for a second. His eyes locked with Sakura's and she smirked.

The bug user soon raised his hand and his mouth opened. "I forfeit," his voice was different than normal, but it worked all the same.

Sakura smiled and skipped back up to the top, and sat right in front of Naruto, on the railing, again.

Kakashi couldn't stay quit after that. "Sakura when the hell have you been about to use people as puppets?"

Yes, Kankuro had been wondering ever since he saw the threads of Chakra connect to the bug user.

Sakura just shrugged. "Remember during our test, I used Chakra Strings to get the bells? Well, I did more research on them."

Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi just gave her a confused look. "Sakura, you got tied up to the post for doing _nothing _during that test."

Sakura closed her eyes and searched her memory; then a light bulb went off in her head. "I remember now! It was a few nights later, after I had done some research. It was a dream…I should have known…Naruto was a girl in that dream."

Her team and the others around her just shook their heads. It seemed that while they weren't looking had gotten little insane.

The next fight preceded that messed up explanation. It was Kakashi and Gai's prize students.

Instead of watching this fight, Naruto was trying to figure something out. Wasn't Orochimaru here watching these matches before? Then it dawned on him, his team was dead. Did that mean that the attack was still going on? There were a lot of things they had to consider now.

But first, they had to get through these damn matches.

Naruto blinked and realized that not only had Sasuke finished, but so had Shika. Shika had fought Ino and he won. Though Naruto didn't want to know how; especially considering the raised eyebrow Temari was shooting at Shika. Something she had to stop doing, seeing as she had her battle next.

The blonde Sand Shinobi was going up against the last Vicis Ninja that was left. The very one…

Temari pulled out her fan, as her opponent just stood there looking at her. It was as if she was trying to figure something out. Then her eyes lit up and she gave a small laugh.

"Wind…and you're from Sand. I had heard that the Sand Team was students of the Kage's old team. Let me guess, yours was the one trying to wield a Wind Sword?"

Temari froze as everything came together. "You put her in the hospital!" Temari raged as she came at the girl with everything she had (within her Chuunin Range of course). Her reason hadn't all left her in her rage.

The girl just laughed and was dodging everything that was sent at her. It was as if she was treating this like a game. And that was exactly what she was doing.

It took a few minutes of that before Freya had had enough. "Enough Zara! I want this through with; finish this battle."

Temari's eyes lit up. If she was at full power she had a chance of beating this unknown, but with her powers restricted? No, she didn't.

Lezara bowed and turned her focus on Temari and smiled before she gave in, which shocked everyone. Seconds later, the three of them had disappeared.

~XX~

Neji was kind of dreading the punishment that Naruto was going to give him. It also didn't help that they the Third Exam was going to be a mystery until that day. No one would know who fought against whom, until their match was up.

To be truthful, he was more worried about what his Hokage was going to do to him. The Hyuuga hadn't meant to do what he did and Naruto knew that. Surely that would give him some slack. But he knew his Hokage; he had seen the Kitsune in his eyes in the arena. The Kitsune hadn't surfaced since the War, and he be dammed if he wasn't afraid that he was going to get hurt, and badly.

The ANBU sighed and made his way to their meeting spot. He was there before anyone else, but that didn't stop his worry.

Soon enough everyone was there.

Naruto didn't waste any time. "Unless you are training or I send you out on a mission, your Charka will be completely sealed. I have a half of mind to pull you out of the Exam all together."

"But," Gaara added as he leaned up against the tree watching his fellow time travelers. "Kyuubi told you not too, didn't he? Shukaku is telling me the same thing. I doubt if we will get passed the second battle before the battle starts."

Naruto then got a weird look on his face and locked eyes with Gaara. Gaara had the exact same look on his face.

"Us?" they both said together; then the shock wore off and they laughed. Naruto's dark mood had been completely forgotten.

Sasuke shook his head. "Let me guess, Freya saw who we were fighting and the two of you got wind that you two would be fighting in the second match, correct?"

Everyone's eyes were on Sasuke now, who just shrugged at their unspoken question.

"Freya just told me; I got the information just as Kyuubi and Shukaku…though it worries me that you were able to get it from them." The Uchiha looked from Kage to Kage. "I wonder…"

Since she was near, he could talk with her like he used to. Sasuke closed his eyes and opened his mind and quickly found her.

_Ah my beautiful Flame, I have missed you so._

_Aye, I've missed you just as much, my warrior goddess. Are Naruto and Gaara like me?_

She was silent on her end for a few moments before replying. _I am beginning to believe so. But do not tell them, for I am not one hundred complete sure. I do not want to get any hopes up in case we are wrong._

_Of course, your will is my command, Princess._ Sasuke, being the cheeky bastard that he was, send a wink as well.

Which caused her to laugh and he had missed that sound so. _Go to sleep my Flame; dream of happiness, because before long we shall not really know it._

_To be continued_...

**CHALLENGE IS STILL THE SAME!**


	6. Chapter 6

**MOON SAYS: **Here is another update! There is only one after this, so...that makes it tied with Worth It, both have the same number written and the same going to be written. BIG REVEALING GOING ON HERE! But this is Freya ppl, she isn't going to give everything away ;) Enjoy it, the answer to challenge will be done next chapter. THE SAME CHALLENGE IS HERE AS WELL. If you answer it...**  
**

**WORDS: **5, 448**  
**

**PAGES: **10**  
**

**ENJOY!**

**~Hunters~**

**Chapter 6**

Naruto noticed that he hadn't see Sakura at all during the month they had before the Third Exam. But he wasn't worried; in fact, she was probably either training or in the library researching.

What he did notice was that Kankuro had taken to stalking Neji's cousin. Naruto frowned on the stalking, but let it continue. It wasn't like he really cared what was going on. He and Sasuke had discussed the two of them, and Sasuke was under the impression that Kankuro had a crush on her. Naruto just chuckled. They then made a bet, as to whether or not the Puppet man would tell her about them.

Other than a few training exercises in which the group participated in, Naruto was with Jiraiya the whole time. The blonde Hokage was surprised though, when the old man knew he was from the future. When asked how the fuck did the Toad know, he just shrugged and said Freya.

Naruto then connected how he knew, with how Sasuke knew about the pairings for the last Exam.

During the month, the old man actually trained the twelve year old. It wasn't long before Naruto re-signed the contract.

It seemed that Gamabunta knew all about the time travel thing.

Just how fucking connected was Freya?

~XX~

Sakura yawned as she stood down in the arena.

Naruto and Sasuke chuckled. "Didn't sleep much?"

She half glared. "I don't see how you slept Sasuke; seeing as Gai was trying to train you twenty-four seven."

Sasuke looked anywhere but her. "You know, his training program wasn't hard, it was dealing with that was hard. How the fuck do you do it, Neji?"

Neji just shook his head. "When I figure it out, I'll tell you. I'm just trying to stay alive when we have team training sessions."

Like Sasuke had said, it wasn't the training regiment that was deadly, it was dealing with Lee and Gai t hat was the problem.

Naruto was trying to compare their first Chuunin Exam, with this one and he laughed. "No one can be late, during this Exam, eh, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha just rolled his eyes. "That was why I didn't let Kakashi train me," then he paused. "How did you know Sakura? We didn't tell anyone."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You didn't know? Kakashi-sensei was training me. Well, for half the month, then he found someone else for me to train me."

Before they could ask who that was, the proctor for this Exam—this one was different one than that coughing guy in the preliminaries—announced the start of the last Exam.

"There will only be four matches first, because one of the contestants dropped out at the last minute; now for the first match: Sakura Haruno, Leaf Kunoichi verses, Neji Hyuuga, also a Leaf Shinobi. You two stay down here, the rest go up top and wait."

The Future Hokage had already noticed that Freya wasn't there and he wonder why, but first things first. Naruto gave Neji a look. "If you lose I will hurt you, I don't want any pussy footing around."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "What if she beats me fair and square?"

"Then I won't hurt you," Naruto replied as he made his way up with the rest of the finalists.

Once everyone was off the field, the proctor called the battle to start.

Sakura just titled her head. "You know I heard about you. Apparently you home life sucks so bad that you forced yourself to believe in this fate shit. Yet, a few months ago, it was like you were replaced by some completely accepting. Have you accepted you're just fucked? Forever to be a caged bird?"

She just laughed as Neji attacked her. First it was weapons from a far; that just made her laugh.

"You really have gotten weaker! You should fight destiny! Fight those fuckers who think they can bring you down because one was born before the other. Of course, I also heard that little Neji was jealous of weak little Hinata. If you went against her in the preliminaries, would you have tried to kill her? I think you would have; but you did seem to have given your balls to Naruto…so maybe not."

"You know nothing of my family or me!" Neji growled as he launched his physical assault.

Sakura just had a big smile on her face as she dodged his sloppy attacks.

"Keep telling yourself you still don't hate them; that you still don't' resent them for killing your father." Sakura pushed just a little more and Neji activated his Kekkai Genkai and started using the Gentle Fist.

The pink girl's eyes lit up and she let him get close enough before she ducked and her arms came in between his and slapped the middle of his arms then she went to do the same and hit his ankles.

After she was done she did a back flip and her feet uppercutted him and sent his ass flying.

When she landed, she stayed in her swat as she bounced a little, a small grin on her face as she watched him fall. When he was completely on his back, she was sitting on his chest with her right hand horizontal to his throat and it glowed blue. Her pointing finger on her left hand was slowly moving from the top of his shirt and down, cutting it until it was open. Once it was open her entire hand glowed blue, and she pulled it back and went to slam it right on top of his heart.

After she slapped the area above his heart, she jumped off of him and made her way toward the balcony.

"Is he dead?" the proctor asked as he stood there frozen.

Sakura laughed. "No, but I did stop his heart. So you might want to restart it. That is," she paused for a dramatic effect. "If you want him to live another day..."

The medic crew were on Neji in a second, getting his heart going again. They ushered him off the field while Gaara and Shika jumped down. Before they battle started Sakura was sitting on the railing next to Naruto.

"What the fuck was that Sakura? When did you get so…cruel? And how the hell did you know about Neji's family?" Naruto questioned, there was a hard tint to his voice and she knew he wasn't in the mood for pussy footing.

"The woman that Kakashi-sensei had train me was an old ANBU partner of his. She made Anko look like Hinata." Sakura explained with no emotion in her voice. "She warned me before I asked her anything, that knowledge was a double edged sword. The answers I wanted might not be something I wanted to know. So she made sure I knew that I was to be careful what I asked for."

Naruto caught the message in her voice. He might not like the answers she gave him, so he should just stop asking. He knew that lesson by heart.

The battle had been going on for a total of five minutes Naruto tracked an ANBU making its way to where the Third Hokage was sitting.

Gaara and Naruto had advanced hearing thanks to their demons so they heard exactly what was said.

"Hokage-sama, the I.D on that headless body in the Forest of Death just came back." He paused and his body posture looked unconformable.

"What is it, Boar?" Sarutobi asked concern evident in his voice. "Who was the body?"

The ANBU looked over toward the balcony and back to the Hokage.

"The body belonged to Sakura Haruno from Team Seven, Kakashi Hatake was her Jounin."

Gaara snapped his head toward the Sakura up in the balcony and Naruto started growling; which drew everyone's attention to him.

The Sakura sitting on the railing just laughed. "It took you fuckers long enough to figure it out. I was so I had given myself away many a time."

"Was anything you said to us not a lie?" Sasuke asked through his teeth.

She shrugged. "Some of it; Sakura did watch two teams kill each other, but she didn't stay to see what happened, fucking coward. The Ninja she described did kill the Sound Ninja that showed up minutes after she left. When I came upon her she was almost dead, drowning in the huge puddle of blood that was leaking out of her. Someone had fucked her up and left her to die."

Her head snapped toward the Kazekage. "I taught you fucker that if you were going to kill someone, don't leave them for dead because they will come back and bite you in the ass."

Naruto and the others watched as Orochimaru came out of his disguise and started his attack on the Third Hokage.

'Sakura' clapped her hands. "And the battle begins! Get ready boys, you're going to be playing for a little while." As she said those words she jumped off the balcony and shook off her Sakura skin.

As she landed a woman wearing black and red leather stood; her hair tricolored and it wasn't long before her two teammates were beside her. She turned her purple eyes on Naruto and an evil grin slowly took over her face.

"I did kick her head off before she died though," Freya mocked as she turned away but stopped when she heard his broken voice.

"Why?"

Freya looked at him and bit her lip for a moment.

"You ask for knowledge that will hurt you and I will not lie to you. I told you before, that you are better off not knowing; but if you want answers I will not deny them to you. You ask for two lives and I gave them to you; the price, however, was eight lives. Two of which I have already claimed, and if you excuse me I have five more to claim before this day is over."

She turned and went straight toward the old Hokage and the Hebi.

~XX~

Naruto didn't have time to focus on her heartbreaking words; instead he turned to his people and his friends.

"We have to stop this invasion. Spread out and go where needed; I'm meeting up with Jiraiya."

They wasted no time and split up. Shika went to the area he almost died the first time around, if not for his sensei. Temari and Kankuro stayed and helped around the area they were already in. Neji was still in the recovery wing. Sasuke went to where the other side of the Village where the bulk of the army was attacking.

~XX~

"This is getting boring," Lezara commented as she watched the pitiful fight of the old people inside the barrier.

Her male counterpart just smacked her in the back of the head and told her to be quiet. "Mistress is waiting for something…"

And Freya was, she was waiting for the perfect moment to kill them all. Who to take out first though, the minions or the boss? Decisions, decisions.

She did her very best to burst into the fucking barrier and kill those two fuckers that were summoned. She did hiss and caught their attention.

"Kiki?" the second Hokage eyes' widened as he and his brother went straight toward her.

She growled and backed up. "Don't you dare go fucking near me. After what you did to me? What right do you have?"

"If you don't stay on your side of the barrier, _hime, _I will send them after you." Orochimaru hissed.

The previous Hokage winced at that threat. They knew that she would gladly want to kill them; after all, they had betrayed her.

Freya gave him a smirk that had him shaking. "Do it, I've wanted to kill those bastards for over seventy fucking years."

Sarutobi took this chance and started his attack on his previous senseis. He became overwhelmed quickly and he started what she had been waiting for: her chance.

When the death god had all of them within his grasp, Freya broke the barrier and quickly used her swords and killed all four guards. Then she went straight to Orochimaru and spoke in a monotone.

"You are founded to be a Rogue, you are charged as a Rogue, and your sentenced is death."

With that said his body burst into flames and he withered in agony until she cut him into little parts that continued to burn until nothing was left. When she was done, the death god had finished with his task and left the three rotting dead bodies on top of the roof.

Freya turned toward her fellow half breeds and took control once again. "Go find the last one and bring him to me. I will not give him time to get away or try to find some way to avenge the Rogue."

"Yes Mistress!" they responded and disappeared in their elements.

Freya turned toward the ANBU who were checking on the dead Kage on the ground a few feet from her. She looked at it dispassionately. The old man had meant nothing to do; he never had and never would again. Freya didn't hate him when she was Katrina because he hadn't done anything yet. He had not betrayed her grandmother, nor had he told Minato any of her secrets.

But toward the end he had done them all. Once Orochimaru left the Village she no longer had a reason to stay there any longer. There was Tsunade and Jiraiya of course, but Orochimaru had always been her favorite and they all knew it. Tsunade and Jiraiya never cared though, because they were too busy running and chasing each other.

"Why didn't you save him? We saw you burst through the barrier!" an ANBU demanded as he stalked toward her.

She just tilted her head. "He was not my priority."

"He was your grandfather!" was the awesome reply.

Freya snorted. "Grandfathers do not betray their granddaughters; nor do they cheat on said granddaughters' grandmother. And before you even say it, yes he was human, I completely agree with that. But he had responsibilities and promises to keep. He shared information he had no right too. And that, right there, is why he is not my grandfather. You should be glad that it was Namikaze who didn't the Sealing of Kyuubi and not him."

"Why?" a different ANBU asked as she turned away.

"Because Kyuubi would have never given him the chance to start the jutsu; the fucker would have been dead on site."

Before she could get away Naruto and his merry bunch of time traveling friends were in front of her.

"We need to talk," he voice was quiet he meant business. His statement didn't include a responding no, either.

Usually, Freya kicked anyone's ass who thought they could control or order her around.

She nodded. "But not now, I have one more thing to do and then we will talk."

No one had a chance to ask what it was because her minions came and threw a silver headed teen at her feet.

"Mistress, we have brought him." The male paused "He is close to death as it is.

Freya squatted down to his level and sniffed him. "You reek of death. You already know you are going to die. Do you want us to end your misery?"

The teen shook his head. "I must assist Orochimaru-sama and get him his next body!"

Freya chuckled. "He's dead, sweetie, your master died in his fight with the Third Hokage, who died with him as well."

The teen collapsed. "I have no purpose, please kill me!"

Freya looked at him, pity clear in her eyes. "There is no pleasure in this."

She gave him his death look to the sky. Rain poured down on them, only Sasuke could see the tears in her eyes.

The half demon knew what it was like to lose one's purpose, to have nothing to live for. She had wondered why a coward like her was still alive; so many times Death had passed her over.

When she continued to try and kill herself, a way to end the pain, she was always bitter toward Death for passing her by. But when she found Itachi and Sasuke, she had found another reason to live. She lived for her friends, her sister. But when that all came crashing down…she found it again in the Demon World. With Lezara and Peyowa by her side, and her missions, she found something else to live for. Ever since then, her whole life had been about that…and would continue to be so.

Before her sobs became completely clear, she felt strong, warm arms wrap around her and hold her. The deadly and emotionless half demon heir turned in those arms and cried her heart out.

~XX~

The Shinobi from the future had not seen Freya since she had killed the Sound Ninja after the Third Exam of the Chuunin Exams. They would never talk about her break down; not that everyone saw it of course. Gaara hadn't been the same since he had gone forward and held her while she cried.

It seemed that only three of the future Ninjas knew what her break down was about. Sasuke hadn't had to explain anything. All three of them knew what it was like to have no purpose in life, to be completely and utterly lost, and to have no one.

To be honest, they all thought that Freya just needed someone to hold her, to keep her together because without someone she would fall apart. Sasuke confirmed it. The, now teen, may make it a habit to not let anyone in, but she desperately needed someone. They all knew what that felt like.

Naruto and Gaara slowly began to realize, that this cold hearted killer was just like them. Hadn't Naruto almost become her? Hadn't Gaara been Freya before he met Naruto? They had been shown the path of Light and she had been too. But the difference was that no one left them. They had stayed near the person who gave them a purpose in life. She had lost all of hers.

Yes, Freya was no different than them. And that's what scared them.

If she could suddenly lapse back into a killer, how hard would it be for them? They were killers, yes, so was the life of a Ninja. But there was a line and she had differently crossed it. They had seen such evidence when she confessed to kicking Sakura's head off while the girl was still alive! There were many ways to kill someone; there were a lot of ways to do it painlessly. Yet, she didn't.

That meant something. But Naruto couldn't figure out why. Why would she want to hurt other unnecessarily? What did she have to gain?

It was Gaara who answered.

"She is in so much pain, that the only way to let it out is to make sure others feel it. She spreads the pain around and it makes her feel better. It's like the more pain she causes the freer she is from the pain that constricts her so. It's a coping mechanism."

Temari and Neji were afraid of her. Neji from firsthand experience with how brutal she is, emotionally (her words cut him quite deeply) and physically. Temari was afraid from seeing what her followers did. She was a firm believer in that the leader is always worse than the minion.

Shika and Kankuro were indifferent. Shika probably already came to the conclusions about her mental state long before the rest of them did. He understood intellectually, but that was all. He didn't understand what she was going through emotionally. Kankuro didn't care one way or another. She had never threatened him or messed with him at all, so he was in the theory that she wasn't going to touch him. Besides...he was more occupied with Hinata than worrying about Freya.

The day after the Third's funeral, one which they saw she hadn't attended, they knew a meeting was going to come about. She knew that he was leaving soon, to find Tsunade with Jiraiya. Not that the old pervert had come talked to him about it.

Sasuke decided that he wasn't going to go to said meeting. They Uchiha couldn't be near her right now; not while she was in so much pain. Instead, he was going to be hanging out and talking with the two that were always with her. He was going to get information that they knew he probably wouldn't be able to share with them.

Not for the first time, the two future Kage's had thought about signing up for her club so they could just know something now and then. It was getting pretty tiring not knowing anything at all.

Temari wasn't going anywhere near her, so that meant that Shika would be staying with her. Kankuro was too busy stalking Hinata or whatever he was doing, so he didn't go with them either.

The Kage's wouldn't admit it, but they came to the conclusion that they liked it that way better. If they could have chosen they would have decided to go alone anyway. Mostly it was because they were the only ones who could understand her to a certain degree.

As they tracked her down, they knew that the only reason that they were able to find her so easily was because she _let_ them find her. She _let_ them track her. With one of their levels, they knew it wasn't a hard thing to do. If the two had wanted to find her without her wanting them to find her, it would have been very hard. Not impossible, but a difficult feat in itself.

They found her sitting in tree that was located behind the Hokage heads on top of the mountain. Gaara jumped up and sat on the same branch as her, while Naruto just sat on the ground, leaning up against the base of the tree beneath the two.

"I was with the Senju and Uchiha when they found Konoha. It was so different back there. I was different. There was so much war; it was as if I was at peace. I thrived in the challenge of being constantly in battle. It was as if I was born for battle. When I had woken up from my sleep—I don't know how long it lasted—I tracked down what was left of the Uchiha's. I had wanted to know if my sister had really married the eldest son and if I had some nephews somewhere. I quickly found out that she had stayed with that fucker. The Uchiha's were pure of our blood—besides what was already in there. The four of us were the best of friends; well, Madara didn't really like them, but I connected the two groups together. For me, they were friends. But a few years after Konoha was up and running everything went to hell." Freya's voice took on a far off tone, as if she wasn't really there with them.

"The one who had fucked up my life in the past, before I went to sleep, seemed to want to make me suffer for eternity. He had kept evidence from the first time I went out of control—after my mother was killed right in front of me, because she was no longer useful—and his descendent was throwing it around. Now everyone thought I was running around destroying poor humans. Even my so-called friends believed it," she laughed bitterly.

"They fully believed in innocent before proven guilty. All they did was give me a chance to run. For over a fucking year I ran. I didn't sleep at. I was the damn deer running from the lion. Madara wouldn't have abandoned me, but he had already left the Village. The only ones who could have had a chance of defeating me where hesitant to go after me: my so called friends." her voice went softer. "Whatever they were showed, they decided I was too dangerous to run around any longer. They found me, trapped me, defeated me, and fucking broke me, literally."

Naruto didn't hear Gaara move, but he knew his friend had her in his lap, rocking her slowly and gently. A few minutes passed before she went one.

"They couldn't kill me because I am half demon; I hold too much power in just that half for them to have the power to completely kill me off. So they split my soul into seven pieces. All sealed into scrolls. They were about to do the last one, but I panicked. I embraced the gift that ran through the blood of my demon family: the ability to jump through time. Because I am a half breed I can't fully control it and once I use it I'm practically useless for a while. I also had only one seventh of my soul. I quickly found someone I could hold on to, until I got my other pieces back. I asked the Elements, who had always grounded and anchored me, to find me people to do the same. They found me an Earth, Fire, and Water. You know them as the Three Sannin. They became my Guardians. I just had to kill one of them too."

"Why?" Naruto whispered, afraid if his voice went higher she would break. "You loved him; he was a part of you. Why did you kill him? Did you need him?"

Freya was silent for a moment. "I had another Fire to replace him. But most importantly he was a Rogue and it was my duty to kill him. Let me continue and I will tell you more."

Naruto nodded, though she couldn't see it, he knew that she felt it.

Gaara continued to hold her and give her silent support through his soft touches and nonverbal reassurances.

"I became Katrina. In a way I wasn't Kiki anymore, and I don't think I can ever be her again. Too much has changed. I trained with them; getting my body…to be honest I still don't know if it was called a body since my original body vanished when jumped through time. I trained whatever I had and everything was great, until Jiraiya found some kids in another Village, during war no less! He stayed to train them. I stayed because one of them had a Kekkai Genkai I had not seen since my grandfather: the Great Sage of the Six Paths. This child was my grandfather's legacy. My grandmother had many children, not just my mother." The tricolored haired teen just waved her hand in the air, as if that didn't matter.

Naruto thought it did matter. The most powerful Ninja in history was her grandfather? Her grandfather had to do with the Bjuu, the Tenth Tailed Demon.

"There was no Tenth Tailed Demon as Madara says." Freya answered his thoughts. "The Demon World is made up of a High Council, with a reigning Monarch. The Nine Demons Lords make up that Council. My father was what one would call the Tenth Tailed Demon, though I know in his Demon form he doesn't have tails."

Naruto couldn't understand though. How could Madara have got his information wrong?

"Madara got a hold of the Kyuubi and formed his own theory after I told him a little of my grandfather. He mixed his knowledge with what I told him and he formed his "Moon Eye" plan. The damn thing won't work, even if he tries it. The Sharingan only works on Kyuubi. And that is because I fucked up as Kiki."

She didn't want to go into detail, so he let it go. Naruto noticed that Gaara seemed to just be taking it in, not asking any questions. At least one of them was trying to make it easy on her.

"We trained the kids, then left. A few years later Orochimaru left the Village and I did as well. Minato was becoming too much for me to handle. See, I was around Jiraiya more than the others. I paid attention to all their students, but there was just something about Minato that made me want to give him more attention. I knew Minato was in love with me and I tried to fight the love I was starting to have for him. I had to leave before I lost my will and gave in."

"If you gave in, I wouldn't be alive." Naruto mused out loud as he connected the dots.

"Yes. When I came back it was before the Kyuubi was ordered to attack by Madara. I vowed to tell Minato everything that was going on, that I kept from him. He had been my Wind Guardian for years and never knew it. But my fucking _grandfather_ had to get scared that I would tell Minato everything and get together with him. He thought I would make Minato leave Kushina and you. Idiot, I wasn't like _him_." her voice spat out.

"I was just going to tell him the truth and leave him alone. But everything went to hell after that. I saw your father fighting the Kyuubi, which I tried to stop. But Kyuubi wanted to fight and I couldn't deny him anything. Nikki had come with my newborn body that was not even a year old; a few weeks later it would be. After I told your father goodbye I fully commented myself to that body. And well, Sasuke told you the rest.

"When the massacres were over I ran to the Demon World. I had finally gotten tired of running away and staying out of the fighting. I wanted to do something. So I became a Vicis. It means Hunter. Eruo is Demon. Hunters hunt Rogue demons down and we kill them if they are judged to be a Rogue. A rogue is a Demon that has left the Demon World without permission and is causing harm onto the humans. Sometimes the Demon is out in the open, but most of the time they are hidden inside of a human. We called that a possession.

"Orochimaru was such, as was Gato. Itachi got possessed as soon as he joined Akatsuki. Madara was possessed sometime after he fled from Konoha. Since then he has started up a group that is filled with high ranked Rogues that posses Ninja. There are some who aren't possessed, but most of them are." Freya's voice was neutral, with no hint of emotion running through it as she told them what they had wanted to hear from the beginning.

"The Rogues have targeted the two of you, and they have been quite silent about it. I am unsure as to why they want you, since I've not heard it from them. I can only be suspicious, nothing else. But there is no doubt, they are targeting the Bjuu, we are just not certain as to why."

"What are we to do then, hime?" Gaara asked as he tightened his arms around and pulled her just a little bit closer to his body.

Naruto wasn't jealous at all at how close Gaara was to her, but the only thing running through his mind was that he wished it was him that was holding her.

"You are to train with my fellow half demons while Naruto and I go find Tsunade." was her reply as she leaned back into him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"I cannot go with you?" Gaara asked as Naruto blurted, "what?"

She shook her head. "Naruto does not wish to be Hokage, and since I dislike those feelings that accompany his thoughts of being Hokage, I will make sure that he does not take the position this time around. You will be leading your friends from the future and watching over my friends while they train you. I shall train Naruto; once we come back we shall go from there."

They tried to protest but she held a hand up. "Do you not wish to help me with my job as a Hunter?" they nodded in reply and she carried on. "Then you shall have to be trained. Seeing as Naruto is the only one connected to Tsunade, he will be the only one coming with me. Now, we have to get back to the others, yet I wish to stay here for a little while longer."

She left her wish open and the two males knew that it was their choice. But how could they deny her anything?

_To be continued..._


	7. Chapter 7

**MOON SAYS: **This is the last chapter that I have written! The challenge is over. Really people, I barely even mention Kakashi and Iruka and you think it's a main pairing? With what we know of Kakashi's past, the fool would not fall in love. Anyway it's not really a pairing. Here is the next chapter, three more to go! And no, like I said in the beginning I haven't written anymore. Though some of you may like the next chapter. It may end up being as bad a Overlook.**  
**

**PAGES:** 8 (I know it's short, but it may just end up that way for the rest of the chapters.)

**WORDS: **4, 625**  
**

**ENJOY!**

**~Hunters~**

**Chapter 7**

Shika understood before the others did. He saw the connection forming between Freya and the two Kage's after Sasuke had told them of her past. He knew, well his brain knew, that those two were the only ones that needed to go to the meeting with her. Sasuke wouldn't go because he had already heard it once and once was enough.

As Shika saw the look on Gaara and Naruto's faces as they came back, he understood why. They looked haunted, more so than before.

The genius could understand that, he had connected his own dots about this Freya's past. It wasn't hard to find past mission reports or history books written by Ninja; especially the SS Ranked ones written by the Sannin only for Sarutobi to read. There were also some journals that he had gotten his hands on. The pineapple headed Shinobi knew he didn't have the whole story, but he had enough to know why they looked haunted.

Naruto and Gaara had horrible past, but she had worse, depending on how one looked at it. They all were survivors.

Shika knew that he had decided not to ask them what she said, but he needed to know what the new plan was. No doubt Freya was going to let them in on what she was doing—all because of Sasuke, Gaara and Naruto.

Yes, Shika had already deduced that those three had replaced the three Sannin in terms of being her Guardians, he wondered if they knew it? Freya was known to ignore something if she didn't want to acknowledge it. On the other hand with Sasuke…the looks he had given the Kazekage and Hokage…he knew that Freya had chosen them. That was why he had told them, that was also why those two had known stuff that involved Freya just like Sasuke.

Yes, there was no doubt that they would be included in whatever she was doing. The only thing left was to find out what it was.

"Che, it is troublesome to pry, but what happened? What is going to happen next? Most of the threats are out of the way, thanks to Freya. Now, the only problem that remains is Akatsuki. What are we to do next, Kage-samas?" Shika questioned, his brain going into overdrive. He didn't even worry about his girlfriend hitting him over the head for saying that word, for she too was interested to know what was next.

He saw the not so careful look shared between those three before Sasuke nodded his head.

Naruto closed his eyes, and leaned his back up against the tree's trunk. Gaara was to his right doing the same. When he opened his dull vacant blue eyes and looked up at the moon, he spoke.

"A Hokage's job is to protect the Village with his own life." Naruto's voice was suddenly haunting and chilling, the same voice he had used before the final battle of the war. "I had always wanted to be Hokage, but I never looked underneath the underneath. If I had known what I know now, I would have never taken the damn title; I was never suited for that position anyway. But I digress, that is not the point or thing I wanted to say. I am tired of being a hero; I'm tried to saving this godforsaken Village. It really hit home after we came back and I saw the looks, words, and beatings thrown at me since I've gotten back. Why should it take me saving the Village more than once for them to not treat me like shit? I can't, no I won't, protect a Village that wants me dead.

"So, after my next mission, I am through. I am done with Konoha. It's quite easy to understand why Orochimaru and Madara want to destroy this place. I will find Tsunade, make her Hokage just like last time, and then I am gone."

After his words Naruto jumped up into the branch right above Gaara's head, his feet on both sides of the Kazekage's head. The red head uncrossed his arms and touched one of Naruto's feet with it and then they went back to their previous position. He was trying to give Naruto his support, his comfort.

"While Naruto is off tracking the Legendary Sucker down and manipulating, I mean, coercing," Gaara chuckled at his slip up and Naruto nudged him in the shoulder with one of his feet. The red head just rolled his eyes at his fellow future Kage. "What? That's what you are doing, I mean really, who would want the job anyway? Now, as I said that is what Naruto will be doing. We, on the other hand, will be training with those two under Freya's command. Though, as per her orders I will be the one in charge."

As soon as those words were out of his mouth, his siblings and Neji hissed at him. "What?"

Naruto sighed again, drawing attention to him. His eyes never strayed from the grey moon above his golden hair. "I will be joining Freya on the hunt for Oba-chan." A few chuckled at his nickname for the old woman that used to be Hokage. "It's up to the rest of you if you are going to follow us. If not, stay with the Village, blend in with those of our past. We will not force you to follow our path."

Gaara snorted. "You know as well as I that I will be joining her as well." His tone left no room for agreement.

His siblings took a deep breath and steeled themselves. "Gaara you are all we have left," Temari started then Kankuro finished. "We followed you as our brother, not Kage. Where you go, we go; we are with you, so you're stuck with us."

Shika grumbled. "It is so troublesome to have a wife; you have to follow them wherever they go. They want to go on suicidal missions, well, you just became suicidal. They want to go shopping; you have to endure it, wishing you were on the suicidal mission."

Temari scowled playfully, but she was happy inside.

Sasuke just chuckled at them all. "Well, now my decision is easy, I don't have to choose between the two of you."

Naruto just rolled his eyes. "You know teme, I could call you a stalker…what the hell did you learn with the Hebi-teme anyway?"

The young Uchiha gave him the Uchiha glare in response, but all he got was a laugh. That damn thing never worked on the blonde. Damn dobe.

Neji watched all the interaction with a sigh. "What am I going to do with all of you? I can't leave any of you alone. You'll probably get into a fight and blow up the world. Besides, Lee and Gai were more than enough for one lifetime." He shuddered and so did everyone else.

Naruto got an evil grin on his face. "Still want them and not Anko, teme?"

~XX~

They left before dawn; Freya wanted to get Tsunade as soon as possible. Naruto remembered it had taken over a week or so before he and Ero-Sennin had found her the first time around. The blonde understood that time was of the essence. After all, the other two knew what they were doing while Naruto's group didn't. If they wanted to train and be ready when the Akatsuki attacked, they needed all the time they could get.

After five hours of running nonstop, neither was tired or winded. But something was bothering Naruto and Freya had noticed it.

"What is it?" her voice was soft and quiet, but he could sense the power underneath it.

"Someone is following us, has been for a while. I would say…they've been following us for two hours or so." Naruto replied, trying to get the feel of his stalker's charka.

Stalker…

"Sasuke isn't following us, is he?"

That caused his companion to laugh. "No, he isn't. The stalker thing is funny though. No, he isn't following us, he is doing as I asked of him. He is watching over my team."

Naruto nodded, he knew that she relied on his raven. But a part of him, the same part that wasn't jealous of Gaara as he held her the night before, wanted her to rely on him.

"It's actually Jiraiya who is following us," she told Naruto, snapping him out of his thoughts. "It seems he caught wind of me and wants to track me down. I wonder if those damn Elders are trying to get him to go after me instead of Tsunade…"

Naruto snapped his head toward her. His eyes almost turning red from the hate he was projecting. "No, I won't let you! Have you not seen what it has done to me? What will it do to you?"

Freya chuckled and hugged him in mid leap, then she let go of him and pushed herself harder while she focused her charka and changed her scent. Then she buried her charka deep inside of, making where he couldn't sense her at all.

"Change your scent and get rid of your charka. We don't want him finding us before we want him to."

The future Hokage did as she asked, once that as done they kicked up their run to ANBU speed. It took no more than a few hours before they reached the nearest town. Instead of asking around like Naruto did with Jiraiya, Freya just stood in the middle of the town and focused, searching for the woman.

She wasn't in that town or any town close to that one. By the time they did find her, it was night of the second day. She was in a town in Earth Country, but it was close to the border of Wind Country.

She was in a tavern; one similar to the one Naruto had found her in the first time. They entered and Tsunade's head snapped right toward Freya. Her eyes widened and she turned back to her sake. She drowned the rest of it, paid her bill, and nodded to them.

Freya grabbed him and dragged him out of the place. Just like last time, they met in the middle of the street, but like last time, he did have a plan.

The younger blonde sighed and turned to Freya. "What the fuck are we supposed to do?"

"What did you do last time?" was her only response. She was actually curious as to what had touched her Guardian of Earth, why she had gotten over her fear of blood.

"I had a purpose you know? I had dreamed of being Hokage because only then would that fucking Village acknowledge a Jinchūriki." He spat and continued. "If I ask her now to become Hokage I would only be a hypocrite. I hate that damn position. The only reason I am asking her is because I don't want it anymore. If she doesn't take it, that means that I will have to and I will die before I break myself again. It destroyed me inside and out. I feel stupid for everything I said about it before. She was right back then; I was just too blinded by hope to see it. That and my whole plan revolved around me mastering the Rasengan and then there was Orochimaru too…"

Freya sighed. "Toughen up you baby, you're acting like a child."

She grabbed his arm and tossed him right onto Tsunade, who caught him instinctively; the older blonde couldn't speak, the boy's words had reached her and left her confused; but it all made sense in a few hours.

"Tell her what did happen the first time around, tell her everything. Also, get rid of that disgusting fear of hers; it's pathetic for someone as powerful as her to fear blood, not to mention it makes me look like since I took her in." Freya voice even sounded disgusted. Naruto felt the woman holding him flinch at Freya's harsh words.

He felt her leave and it confused him. "Where are you going?"

"The pervert is coming; I don't want to see him. I'll be back once you have completed the task I have set before you. If you can't do this, there is no hope for you helping me with the plans we have made."

~XX~

She came back a day or so later to a Tsunade mothering Naruto. It made her laugh, because it was just like before. She had peaked in on Tsunade and Naruto before Sasuke had gone to her, or what was left of, Snake.

He would call her grandma and she would throw things at him, it was good dodging practice. Freya knew that Tsunade would do anything for him. A lot of people would do anything for Naruto; it seemed commonplace around that child. No. He wasn't a child, had he ever been one? Naruto was a man through and through.

It was still intriguing how he could change people and have them willing to do anything, move heaven and earth, just for him. A part of her was sickened at the fact that she too had fallen victim to Naruto. Yes, she would do anything for him as well. Yes, it was quite appalling, but what could she do? She was already under his spell.

~XX~

For her, Time had always been slow. From the moment she was born, until she traveled back into time. Yet, during the years she had her two minions, friends, train the ones from the Human World were never slow; in fact, it was the opposite. It had went by so fast that one minute it was the second day they were back from getting her old Guardian of Earth and the they were planning an attack on the Akatsuki.

Even though it was years in between those two events, it still didn't feel that long. Especially since they had been training so hard. Now she was sure that they all were at the same levels that they were before they traveled back in Time. Naruto, Gaara, Sasuke, Shika, and Hinata were eighteen. Neji, Kankuro, and Freya were nineteen; while Temari and the two other half-demons were twenty. The ones from the Human World had learned the basics of being a Hunter: how to track a Rogue, how to identify a Rogue, etc.

"We need to be all sneaky," Naruto advised. "Once we see that they don't know we are there, see an opening, we attack and BOOM! They are dead with one hit."

Sasuke just sighed and hit his friend in the back of the head. "Dobe, these are S Rank Missing Ninja, you really think this will work? Don't you remember how hard it was to kill them the first time around? Shika had to bury Hidan, and it took you and Kakashi to kill all five hearts of the other one."

Freya sighed in annoyance and slammed her fist on the table. "If I knew you two would be pains in my ass, I would have left you to rot in that God forsaken Village. Stop acting like fucking." She looked at Naruto and her eyes narrowed. "You are just like your mother. And I wonder why I hate you sometimes?"

The tricolored hair woman got up and disappeared.

When she opened her eyes she as in the middle of a Temple and three females stared at her.

"That was mean!" the little one pouted.

"You hurt him, my child." The middle one scowled softly.

"Good one! I couldn't have done it better!" the last cackled.

"What else can I do? I can't hurt him, no matter how much I wish too. He's taken a hold of my heart and I wish to carve him out. I have no business wanting him or anything close to that. The boy, for that is what he is, is already caring for someone else. Someone else has his heart." Her voice betrayed the brokenness she felt. "I can't even hate the one who has his heart! For a part of me knows that he wormed his way in my heart as well. It all disgusts me!"

Her three aunts were silent as they thought of what to say, knowing that what was said here shaped what happened afterward.

"And what makes matters worse? You know what will happen, what I have to do! Knowing this, I've let myself become attached to them."

"What the heart wants, the heart gets. As old as I am, I have seen this many a time to know that even you aren't indifferent to it." The crone told her, there was no bite to her words like normal.

"Just give it a chance, my dear; you'd be surprised at what you find." The mother spoke, giving her niece advice like a mother should.

"Come on, just do it! Think of this as a challenge, can you win?" the child tried to goad her.

~XX~

She walked into the field as it rained, watching and hearing her fellow Hunters trying to make excuses for her to Naruto and Sasuke about what happened earlier. Apparently they had 'cooled down' and were outside training when those two spoke up.

"Do not give excuses for me," Freya commanded; her voice cold as she looked on them with a facial expression similar. Her glaze turned to the rest of them and she tilted her head. "Are you two done acting like children? I want you to know I will not work with children, for they will get me and mine killed on the battlefield."

Naruto and Sasuke had steeled themselves once they heard her coming toward them. They expected this from her. Freya was serious about their job, it didn't mean that she couldn't joke around, but underneath that hard expression they knew she only cared about them and didn't want them to die.

With a quick nod, from each of them, they continued on as if nothing had happened.

"I need someone to cut Hidan into pieces and another to burn them. Temari you will be teamed up with Sasuke for this battle. Shika and Neji will be watching and if someone needs help they will jump in. Kankuro, you and your girlfriend will be taking on the minions with Peyowa. Lezara you will be backing up the first group." She ignored the look Temari sent toward the female half-demon. It seemed even after all this time; Temari still didn't feel right in the girl's company.

"The two Jinchūriki and I will be fighting with those who will be sent after the One Tail."

Her words caught everyone's attention. "Sent after the One Tail?" Naruto repeated. "How do they know that Gaara is going to be there?"

Shika sighed. "You told, didn't you? Kill two birds with one stone and all that jazz."

Freya shrugged. "It doesn't matter if I told them or not, they will be coming. Gaara will be fighting with Sasori because he has his Sand Shield. That way even if the bastard pulled out the Third Kazekage's puppet he can still fight. Naruto will be taking on Deidara, while I attack when needed. Get something to eat, grab your stuff, and meet me back out here in an hour. Dismissed."

~XX~

_They were acting all sneaky_, Naruto thought bitterly as he walked Temari and Sasuke wait until Hidan had his guard done. They had to be careful though; the Two Tails was down there.

The two attacked as soon as it looked like the Two Tails had the upper hand. Like student, like teacher, Temari had her own Wind Sword and used it to cut Hidan into pieces quite quickly. As soon as she was done, Sasuke had already awakened his Kekkai Genkai and summoned the Flames his brother once controlled.

Within ten seconds of Temari's first attack, Hidan was completely and utterly destroyed.

Shika groaned as he felt hundreds of people approaching. "It seems they are pulling out all the stops to get Gaara. Troublesome."

He and Neji stayed in the trees behind their group as, those hundreds of Ninja they felt come. Hinata, who had followed her love Kankuro after Tsunade came back to Konoha, attacked alongside said love against the minions Akatsuki sent against them. Peyowa did as his Mistress ordered and attacked as well.

It wouldn't be more than fifteen minutes before they were done with their part in the mission.

Kakuzu didn't like that his partner got killed so easily. He launched himself at his partner's murderers. Temari and Sasuke had their hands full there; it wouldn't be a quick kill like Hidan. Lezara was watching her current teammates fight as she assessed the bastard's weakness.

Freya tilted her head as she watched Naruto fighting with Deidara, dodging his bombs, trying to get close enough to use his Rasengan. Gaara wasn't doing much better; the Puppets were getting in his way. She sighed; it wasn't going to be easy as she thought.

Kankuro cursed as the group overwhelmed him and Hinata, who was back to back with him. They had thought they had the easy part, but from the way things were going…and the blood coming out of him, it wasn't.

Freya kept one eye on her two teammates' battle while getting closer to the Two Tail, who had collapsed.

The girl's eyes widened as she saw Freya. She quickly kneeled and bowed her head.

"Princess! Thank you for saving me—" Freya cut her off without a second thought.

"I'm not here to save you. I want you to transform and launch one of your Blue Blasts at each enemy: Kakuzu, Deidara, and Sasori. If you can, target them and their weapons. I want Deidara's bird down, as well as Sasori's puppets. I want a few of Kakazu's hearts destroyed as well. Now, if my team dies because you are quick enough your fate will be worse." Freya delivered the threat and ordered with a cool tone.

"Of course Princess, as you wish." Was the response as the girl transformed and did as she was ordered.

Freya watched closely as two hearts were destroyed, making Kakuzu go to having one heart. Deidara's bird was destroyed and it looked like so was a few body parts of its master. Sasori's puppets were gone and so was half of a scroll that the puppeteer had gotten out. Judging from the scream he admitted, most of his weapons were gone, if not all.

Good, everything was going to plan. Now only a few more things left.

"Shika and Neji go to Kankuro and finish the rest of the minions off. I want this fight ended in less than five minutes." Freya demanded and they were gone as soon as she spoke their names.

Kakuzu was dead and she sent them to where the others were having the most difficulty. Really, how much of a problem could a few hundred idiots be? Freya decided that since Naruto was closer and bleeding way too much, she would help him first.

She appeared behind Deidara and chuckled. "Tell me Rogue, are you as afraid and angered at the Sharingan as your host is?"

The Rogue turned around and saw the lowest form of Sharingan staring at it and started to back up.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere," she chuckled as her eyes spun and the blonde in front of her disappeared and she turned toward Sasori and the same thing happened to him.

Gaara and Naruto met halfway and were half wondering where the fuck they were and what had happened when Sasuke groaned.

"Did they get 'sucked' away?" the Uchiha heir asked, running his bloody hands over his blood stained face.

Naruto groaned himself as he realized what happened. "She did some Dimensional shit that Madara did, didn't she? Damn it all!"

Naruto couldn't figure out why he was so mad. Was it because she had taken his kill? No, why Naruto did enjoy fighting, especially if it was a challenge, he didn't like to kill. So why was he pissed she disappeared with both of them? What could she do when both Gaara and him had trouble separately?

When she appeared in front of him, shallow cuts all over her body, with her clothes ripped and a chunk of the back of her shirt was missing as well, he realized it was none of those things. He was upset that she had tried to fight without him, that she had been by herself.

With a quick look sideways, he knew Gaara felt the same. Neither of them wanted her to fight by herself, they didn't want her anywhere danger; but Freya was Freya, and she did what she wanted.

As they took in her face they saw it lit up in joy, it seemed she loved fighting as well.

The entire grouped blinked a few times, to make sure they saw right. Yes they saw right, she was licking her fingers clean of blood; her eyes lit up even more.

The two Jinchūriki chuckled. It seemed their little one had a demon buried inside as well.

As they chuckled she looked up, paused in mid lick and put her finger down. She did her best to ignore the looks on Gaara and Naruto's face. That was a different thing altogether! How was she supposed to deal with lust and desire?

"Good work, I know you've gotten hurt, some more than others, so go back and heal. Y'all know what to do."

They nodded and all left except for the two that half of her wished had left. But the other half, the one that wanted to jump them and have the fuck her senseless? Oh that half wanted them to stay. The things they could do to her…

Freya shook her head and tossed those ideas out of her head. She had another job to do right now.

"Both of you go back, I will be back in a hour tops, alright?" her voice was soft, she had sensed the worry they held for her when she disappeared.

They sighed and touched her in some way before leaving. Gaara grabbed her pony tail and tugged a little with a small smile on his face; while Naruto let his blood soaked finger tips graze her cheek, a soft gentle look on his face.

She shuddered after they left. It disgusted and amazed her the effect they had on her. She sighed and turned back to the Two Tails. It touched her heart that even though they wanted her sexual and were worried about her (she was covered in blood and they didn't know what happened when she disappeared) they still left after she spoke to them. They trusted her to be safe; they cared enough to follow her wishes.

That was one of the reasons why she had them leave. There was one thing that she had to do; something that she knew was going to end up breaking her heart. But she had a duty, one that she had thrown away the Human World for. She had left and went to the Demon World to have a purpose, and that was her duty.

She would do it; even in the end it destroyed her once and for all.

She steeled herself, her eyes and heart grew distant as she approached the woman who housed the Two Tail Demon.

"You know what is going to happen." Freya said as the girl nodded. "Very well, see you old friend." With that her lips grazed the girl's ear, after a few words were spoke she ran the Jinchūriki threw with her sword.

_To be continued..._


	8. Chapter 8

**~~~~~~~~NOT EDITED~~~~~~~~**

**MOON SAYS: **Wow, a really long time I know! Sorry! *dodges all things that could hurt* So...two more chapters to go, eh? I had written half of this last week, but I stopped and forgot about it because of Christmas. I may end up combining the last two chapters...I don't know yet. Have to go over some stuff...anyway, thanks for baring with me! Next chapter, or the last, will explain the real mission, the one that is going to kill everyone: emotionally.**  
**

**WORDS: **4, 396**  
**

**PAGES: **10**  
**

**ENJOY!  
**

**~Hunters~**

**Chapter 8**

She had tried everything she could to stay distance from the others, to keep her heart from caring for them. She had tried to stay cold and heartless, which she knew a few of them thought her as.

The moment that she let herself care for them, to let herself love them, they would end of leaving her or dying in front of her eyes.

She had tried, oh did Freya try, but it seemed that she had begun to do what she didn't want. It showed in how she handled that battle. She had made damn sure that she was watching the entire time; to make sure things didn't go bad. They did, and she ran as fast as she could to clean it up and save the others.

The first part had been easy: take out Hidan. Temari cut that bastard into pieces and Sasuke lit them up, burning them forever.

Kankuro had been too busy protecting his girlfriend to fight right, and end up with so many cuts, most were deep Freya noticed. If her eyesight didn't fail her, one of them cut halfway through his arm before the enemy was killed. Hinata was fine, few bruises and cuts, all thanks to her overprotective boy toy.

Temari and Sasuke had gotten a few wounds themselves fighting and taking out one hearts; Lezara had taken out one herself before she went to go help her partner. Temari ended up not being able to stand on her own because Kakuzu ended up cutting a tendon in her left leg. Sasuke eyes were bleeding; yes the Uchiha had gotten Itachi's eyes, but it didn't mean that there weren't limits to him using them. The raven probably wouldn't be able to see for an hour or so.

Once four of his hearts were gone, the money grubbing Akatsuki Rogue was easy pickings.

Gaara had been in perfect condition by the time Sasori's weapons were gone. Once Sasori was distracted completely, really going insane, Gaara took his chance and destroyed the puppet with his sand. There wasn't a scratch on him, though he did use a lot of charka.

With all the training Naruto had with dodging, he didn't really get hurt much. None of the explosions hit him directly, but he felt the backlash of a few. His hands, though, were bleeding with burn marks. She felt them with he…touched her before he left.

Her two teammates…she had seen the blood on them, but knew that it wasn't theirs. It was easy to figure out that they had gotten carried away and went a little crazy with bloodlust.

She knew Shika probably had minor cuts if anything; Neji didn't have a scratch on him thanks to his eyes. A part of her knew that Hinata had healed most of their injuries before they got back to the compound.

"Damn it all!" she growled as she hit her fist against a tree, knocking it down.

If she didn't care, like she was supposed to, she wouldn't know all about the injuries they had. Damn them for making her care, and damn her for not following her own advice for letting herself care in the first place!

She sighed and got herself under control. Freya didn't need to get back to the house and be out of control. As she calmed down she noticed that it was raining. A part of her wondered when he had started raining, after she had killed the two tails? Or was it between then and the end of her inner monologue?

It didn't matter, such thoughts were trivial. She had to get back before those idiots would start to hunt for her. Freya had to admit that they were already occupied with other things to notice that she was gone. Hinata was probably healing them more, if she hadn't completely done it already. Others would be resting, reading scrolls, or training.

Yes, that was what they were supposed to be doing; they had gotten hurt during the battle. The only logical thing was for them to be getting stronger so it didn't happen again. Of course, anything she was thinking of what they were doing, was nothing at all like what they were actually doing.

Hinata and her stalker's room was the first she came to; Freya was about to open the door to check on them, she didn't want Hinata completely exhausted from healing everyone. Freya had some skills in healing jutsu, after all.

That door wasn't even open one foot before she grunting and flesh smacking against flesh. No need to guess what they were doing.

It infuriated her that they were in there fucking instead of training. From what she saw of Kankuro's wounds, the bastard should be training to get himself stronger so he didn't have those wounds!

How dare they waste time? It was like they were telling her to fuck off. They wanted in, they _asked_ to help and become Hunters. And here they were basically shitting on her.

With a fury she hadn't felt since her mother died, she hit the door and it broke into pieces. As soon as it was broke she went to the next room: Shika and Temari's. The wall was shuddering as she past it.

Her anger grew; the door didn't stand a chance either. She prayed that Sasuke would be smart. He knew her better than she knew herself sometimes. There was no way he would be fucking around.

When she came to his room she opened the door and walked in. Her eyes widened and when she locked them her Fire Guardian, he saw the betrayal in them.

There he was, on his bed with his dick shoved up Neji's ass.

Sasuke could feel the hurt through their bond and spoke up, trying to make her stop feeling this way.

"Freya," he said softly, his eyes lit with something she hadn't seen directed at her (from him) since the last time she saw him in the future. "Join us, it wouldn't the first time I've fucked you, and you know you liked it. Or you could watch, I know you like that too." he gripped his lover's hips harder and continued his thrusts, harder too, judging from the noises Neji made.

The little bastard thought that trying to seduce her was the way to go? That if he fucked her, she would no longer be upset with him. He knew, he could feel the fury and pain running through her now.

She could give in, but that would help at all. Freya glared at him and walked out of the room and blocked herself off from him when the little bastard sent a wave of sorrow to her.

Fuck him and the high horse he came in on. If he wanted to betray her and cause her pain (something he promised never to do) then let him. She always punished those who disobeyed her and he would be no exception.

The half demon heir went to her teammate's room; there was no way in hell that they would disobey her. She had never had a time where they did; they loved and respected her too much.

So when she walked into their room she was in for a quite a shock. There in the floor, no more than six feet from the door was Lezara pinned to the ground with Peyowa fucking her harder than he usually did.

Freya was thrown off by that. Peyowa normally never fucked Zara to the point of pain; that was what he always did with Freya, but Zara? Never.

This one fact distracted Freya enough that she didn't immediately go off on them and her rage increase. A few seconds was all Lezara needed for an attempt to savage the situation and avert a punishment.

She and her partner had gotten a few and those few were more than enough.

"Do you like this Mistress?" Zara asked in a submissive tone that she knew her Mistress shivered at. "Do you like him fucking me? So hard, Mistress? Ahh," she cried out when Peyowa hit that spot. For half a minute she screamed as she came and he kept on thrusting into her. His thrusts getting harder with each pass.

When he came, a roar escaped his mouth, and he let Zara go. She crawled to Mistress. If she could just get her wet and aching enough, there would be no punishment and all would be okay.

Of course, Freya had an iron will when she needed to. Yes she was quite turned on watching Zara get fucked, hard too—which always made her wet—it wasn't enough to get passed all the anger and pain she felt.

She looked both of them in the eye, "damn both of you."

Then she was gone, off to the last room. Her heart was aching, here she was worried and hated a bit of herself—not that she would really admit it to herself, especially the last—because she threw them into a battle that they weren't ready for. And instead of training to get better or waiting to train and heal, they were fucking around!

Didn't they know that was just the tip of the iceberg? If some of them almost died today, they were going be completely dead during the next battle? This one was going to be easy compared to the others after it.

A part of her, hoped, prayed that Gaara and Naruto would do this to. That they wouldn't hurt her, but deep down she knew that if those two half breeds were fucking around, then those two didn't have a chance in hell of not fucking around.

She opened the door and closed her eyes; she didn't hear anything. She let out the breath she had been holding. She closed the door and leaned against it, her eyes still closed.

"I've been to every fucking room in the compound." She wasn't hiding the pain and anger from them, they could clearly hear it. "We've just been in a battle where a few could have died; not only that but no one came out without a scratch. You don't count Gaara."

Her words were met with two chuckles. Freya took a breath and continued on.

"Do you know what I was thinking, when I went to every room and saw them fucking each other? I felt as if they all just stabbed me in the back. Here I've been spending years training all of you, wasting time I could have spent training myself and killing off Akatsuki. I could have wiped them out by now if I didn't baby sit all of you. I've been forsaking my mission, my job, to bring all of you in, and they're just fucking around, as if they almost didn't get their asses kicked."

Freya scoffed, "instead of healing and training to become stronger, because the next battle, they will die in seconds if they stay the same. Why should I waste my time caring if they live or die, when they don't?"

Freya opened her eyes and her heart dropped, for more than one reason—besides disappointed, anger, and a bit of betrayal—when she saw Gaara slip his hand around Naruto's cock and start pumping it as he pulled back and slammed back in Naruto's ass.

"Not that we didn't like that speech, we did," Naruto assured her as he groaned and he watched her eyes locked to them. Both he and Gaara could see the struggle in them. As they watched her for a full minute, Gaara made a split second decision.

The red head pulled out of his blonde lover and they both stood, giving Freya a very good look at their cocks.

"But there are more important things right now," Gaara continued as he licked his lips, "then getting upset at idiots."

Freya didn't really know what to do as she watched them stalking toward her. Even when she was on the run, never had she felt like the prey before. Not even when she allowed Sasuke, that one time, or Peyowa dominate her in bed. Never. So why now with these two?

"You belong to us." They both growled as they neared her.

She stopped breathing when they were right on top of her. Gaara grabbed her hand and tugged her toward him so Naruto could slip behind her. Freya's body went forward with no resistance, and his lips crashed into hers.

For the first time in her life, she wasn't able to think; which explained how what happened, happened. It wasn't the first time she had had sex, but it was the first time she had felt something more than just simple pleasure. She had heard others in her world talk about mating; mostly how different it felt between mating with their true mate and someone else.

Fucking around with her two teammates was nothing compared to what happened with Gaara and Naruto. The latter felt like so much more. When they filled her, she felt complete. She didn't even have to tell them to fuck her harder, they just knew.

Freya wasn't a prune, she had had sex in many positions before, with more than one person, but never had she had two cocks in her pussy.

Why did she let it get that far?

Why did she let them fuck her?

Why did she let them touch her?

Why did she let herself give in to them?

Why didn't she stop them?

_It's quite simple, really: it's because I wanted them; I wanted them to love me; most of all, it's because I love them._

No! There is no way that she can love someone! Not only was she too fucked up—who would want someone who is so damaged in the first place—but it was impossible for her to love someone. Looked at what happened the last time two times she fell in love with someone.

Madara ran off when she needed him the most. Minato, she could never have him to begin with because of Naruto.

Well, wasn't that twisted? She had loved his father, and now she was in love with the son.

No! She didn't love anyone…she couldn't, especially not _them _of all people. If she had to fall in love, why couldn't it be someone else? The easiest would be her fellow half breed. Or maybe Sasuke…he was willing to share.

Freya took a few deep breaths to calm herself, and she was jolted out of her thoughts.

"Did we fuck her too hard? Maybe caused some brain damage?" a soft honey voice filled with amusement and a little worry asked.

A chuckle followed the question. "No, she's processing with happened. That or we did fuck her too hard and she's trying to regain the ability to think."

They both chuckled and she stiffened. In less than a second one was holding her, while the other was soothing her.

No this was not what she needed! Freya wanted to be punished for allowing this to happen…her heart dropped. She would be punished. It would be all her fault and she would have to live with it for the rest of her life…

She had failed herself and them by allowing this to happen. For that, she would willingly bare that for the rest of her life.

"Valkyrie?"

"Hime?"

No, she couldn't stay here. Not with the reminder that they all cared for each other. Not with what she had to do…

Quickly, she shook them off and ran away. She didn't even register that she was naked until she was locked up in her room.

Within seconds she was in her shower washing off their scent. As she washed she heard whimpers and knew it was coming from her mat…them.

She had to be strong, she had to ignore them. If she went back to them…her heart ached…they would be hurt worse and so would she.

As soon as their scent and the smell of sex was off her, she dressed.

She pulled on her pants, the long ones she reserved for when she was going on a really dangerous hunt. Her heavy duty boots, the ones that had knives hidden in them. She laced her mini sword sheathes on her legs, one each. Then wrapped her breasts, and put on a one of those Chinese shirts, the ones that folded over each other. It was sleeveless, so she wrapped glaze over the rest of her arms.

She could hear their whimpers still and drowned them out. With a last addition, she grabbed her scrolls and shoved then into the pockets of her long jacket, the one that went down to her feet. Freya was done, now all she had to do was tell the traitors what was up. She went over to the sound radio thing that had a speaker box in every room. Good, they would all hear how they fucked up.

"Well, boys and girls, did ya'll have fun? I hope you did, and I hope it was worth it. When I came back, I expected you resting, training, or something beneficial to get stronger so you wouldn't get your asses handled to you next time. Because next time was going to be ten times as hard as that battle, but seeing as none of you give a fuck about the mission anymore, I guess there will not be a next time. At least not for ya'll."

She heard the yells and even heard the pounding on her door. Those two traitors thought that by banging on her door, she would open and forgive them? Hell no.

"When I get back, I want all of you gone. I don't care where you go. I will not have you in my house disrespecting me as you just did. No, you made your beds, now lie in them. If you excuse me, I have a mission to complete."

"MISTRESS NO!" they begged, and just for kicks, she listened. "Where will we go? We've served you faithfully all these years, and you're going to throw us out?"

"Yes, you fucked up, and this time it was too big of a mistake. Too big of a 'fuck you Mistress' for me to take lying down. I don't care where you go. You can go back where I found you, for all I care."

With that she was gone; they could feel the charka she used to teleport herself away from the compound.

~~XX~~

"What do we do?" Hinata asked, her voice all timid. "Is there no way to reason with her?"

Lezara just sighed, her head in her hands. "It's not that simple. The reason why she kicked us to the curb isn't just because of what she said, it goes deeper than that. It goes so far back that we," she motioned between her and her partner, "don't even know what happened."

Silence took over before Naruto and Gaara, who were looking sick and very close to insane, shot up and locked eyes. "Sasuke."

All eyes turned to Sasuke, who let out his own sigh and stared out the window. It was pouring. He could see and hear the lightning and thunder. Poor Freya, her heart was getting broken and the weather reflected it.

"Like I said before, she is the granddaughter of the Sage of the Six Paths. He and his two siblings, who invented Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu trained her. Her mother and grandmother raised her and her sister while the village that held their lives breathed down their necks. It was really a fucked up situation. See, grandmother had lots of kids, think of the Kekkai Genkai's; well some where her brother and sister in law's kids too, but the point was she had lots of kids. Her last one to be born was Freya's mother. When she was born, the village they were living near kidnapped both of them. They wanted the power of a child of the great Sage.

"So they and they raised the girl and tried to get her to marry someone to produce more kids; that way they could have more power. Freya's sister was born. They had the same age difference as Itachi and me. Right before she was born, their mom summoned Freya's dad and they killed him, fell in love, and had Freya, or as she was known then, Kiki." Sasuke stopped and groaned.

"It's all hard to explain and I'm not doing it justice. But basically years later, after the Sage and his siblings trained Freya; the village hired a tutor, one to teach the girls non-ninja stuff. Well he fell in love with Nikki, yet he knew she had her eye on an Uchiha—which I think was a cousin if I'm not mistaken—anyway, so he went after Freya. He convinced himself that Freya was the one he loved, because she was the easier target, but she rejected him time after time

"He got pissed and started making plans. So when Freya was of age and was demanded by the village to pick a fiancé that was just the last straw. She had to choose between a Hyuuga or an Uchiha. The tutor started telling lies about the girls and started trying to kill the suitors. Well, Kiki found it out and started projecting them by saying she didn't want to marry anyone of them.

"But he wouldn't stop; soon he convinced the village that they didn't need the mother or grandmother. Little did they know that those two were the only reasons Freya was listening and doing what they told her to do. They killed them and Freya went insane—she saw them die. She hunted them down, everyone in the village: man, woman and child and killed them all. Even if they were in another village she tracked them down and destroyed that village as well.

"Finally she summoned her dad, after she told them what happened they went bat shit crazy together. It was months, I think, before the other demons finally snapped her out. She then killed her father to stop him. It was the only way to stop him. He may have had a wife—and another kid—but that didn't mean he didn't love Kiki's mom. To be honest, for him to go that crazy, to lose all rational though after hearing of her death…she had to have been his mate. It's the only reason as to why he would lose all control."

Lezara cut in, her voice was completely devoid of emotion, but you could hear the hurt. "If you lose your mate, you can't live without them. Death is the only thing left for them, but how to die? Most are so caught up in the grief and agony that they can't end their own lives; they have to have someone else do it for them. Hence the Princess killing the King."

Sasuke nodded at her description and went on. "After that she couldn't live with the memories and went to sleep for a long time. She woke up when three people stumbled upon her resting place: they were actually having a peach meeting. We know them as the First and Second Hokage and Madara Uchiha. That just led to more situations where she was betrayed and left.

"That right there is why she doesn't trust people, why she doesn't want to attach herself to others. She feels so strongly and she knows that everyone is either going to betrayal her or die on her. So she doesn't let herself care for anyone. Yet, all of us started making her care. She began to see us as more than soldiers, she saw us as friends.

"Freya is afraid that we are going to die. She was right, some of us got hurt pretty badly; just think about the next battle, it's going to be way harder. And the one after that will be even harder. So cutting us off here and now, hurting us, is the only way she can think to save us."

"That isn't all, little Fire Guardian." A female voice spoke as they heard heels clicking against the floor.

Within a second, they saw a face. She was five seven at least, give or take a few inches. Her hair was black, and it trailed to the floor. She had on a mini skirt that was almost see through, and a top that barely covered and concealed her breasts. Apparently demons didn't care about nudity.

"Who are you?" Naruto questioned, his voice quite neutral.

"I am Kiki…Freya's half sister." was the answer she supplied, before silence took over. Finally, Gaara got tired of it.

"And what else was there?" he demanded.

The demon queen folded her hands over her breasts and leaned against the wall. "My sister is quite scared for and of all of you; just as those two explained. She doesn't want you to hurt her, yet she wants to protect you. But more than that, she is jealous and envious of all of you. She has never really had what you have: love of another, acceptance, and all that stuff. Freya is conflicted and she doesn't know what to do. It's quite funny, considering that she can have what she wants the most."

"Then why doesn't Mistress take it?" the male half demon was confused; if his Mistress had ever wanted something, she always took it.

The demon queen was amused at her subject. "Because of her duty, because of the mission she has undertaken. Yet, I sense some determination, sorrow, and resolve in her. It seems that she is going to complete her mission and forever be denied what she wants."

"What is her mission?" Naruto growled. He didn't care if she was a queen, he wanted answers. Freya was his, and he would know what was going on.

Again, the queen gave an amused smile. "That is for her to tell, though," she stopped and looked out the window as she sensed something. "She may not get a chance to tell you. Hmm…" as possible plans went through her mind rapidly, yet she only accepted one. She turned toward the Jinchūriki and looked deep inside of them.

"Go help her."

_To be continued..._


	9. Chapter 9

_**!NOT EDITED!**_

**MOON SAYS**: FORGIVETH ME! It has been so long, and I AM SOOOO SORRY! College got away with me, that and I started playing my video games...cough, Kingdom Hearts, God of War, etc. I posted this chapter even though I should be doing school work, but you know what? I need a break. Though I took that when I was watching my Naruto Shippuden DVDs last week...I had through the 3rd box set. Now I have 4 and 5! And soon the next movie, heehee! Soon the next chapter will be completed...once it gets started. It should be long, not as long as this. This I didn't think was going to be as long as it was. Anyway, time for the chapter!

**WORDS**: 5, 497

**PAGES**: 13

ENJOY!

**~Hunters~**

**Chapter 9**

Why did Fate hate her so?

Every time she turned around, her traitorous heart tried to give itself away. Wasn't this human nature? A voice deep inside of her mind questioned as the thoughts made itself known.

She agreed with where this train of thought was going, because it was human nature to connect with others, whether it was as a friend, family, or lover.

But she wasn't human was she? At least not completely…

Freya didn't understand why after all the heartache she had experienced over her life, so why did her continue to want to go after others? Wasn't there supposed to be a survival instinct or something like to stop her from making a mistake that could cause such pain again? Was her heart, or by proxy herself, a masochist because she just kept coming back for more?

Bonds only hurt you. She should have known this because of all the pain she had experienced because of it. More than once. So she knew, no felt, what would happen by doing this.

There was even a rumor in the other time line that her flame believed the same. He believed that bonds were useless, that they slowed you down, that they needed to be severed completely. Well, except that stupid revenge bond he held. But the others, the ones that were "positive," were the ones that tied him down, that gave him a weakness. Didn't he almost kill Minato's flesh and blood, his heir, his child in an attempt to destroy those bonds?

This confused the half demon greatly. She couldn't understand any of this. Why would she do this over and over? Was it because she wanted it? Was this one of those situations where the phrase "just more time" applies? Bonds were double edged swords just like emotions.

Freya would not deny or argue that bonds were only negative. No, a bond could make you feel like you were the greatest thing in the world. Bonds were a way to justify your purpose in life. It gave you a reason to live. Yet, was it worth it? Was the risk of the negative side outweighed by the positive? Was the positive side worth it?

She wanted to scream! This indecision was tearing her apart. Should she risk it? Were the fleeting moments of love and feelings resulting from various bonds worth the inevitable pain that was sure to come after they were broken?

For bonds always ended up broken. No matter what one did, the bonds would break. Freya knew this was for this lesson had been etched deep inside her soul. Every bond she had ever had, ended up snapping and coming back to hit her and wound her deeply. The bonds in the beginning of her life—with her family, that damn tutor, the demons; the ones centered around the creation of the Leaf Village, the horrible situation that ended her relationship with the Sannin, her grandfather, and Minato; and finally the friendship between the Uchiha's before either massacre.

She wasn't even going to include her time with her fellow half-demons, because, yes there were bonds, but none that would hurt her.

And yet, the incident back at the house came and struck her across the face. She knew none of them understood what was going on. None of them understood the turmoil ripping her apart. They didn't know about her indecision concerning her two…she didn't want to even think about what they were to her.

Bonds…friends…lovers…

If you had a bond with someone, if you trusted someone, shouldn't this mean that you tell them if something is wrong? If you are wounded, whether internally or externally? Did this mean that she had kept true to herself, and didn't let that trust leave her as her heart wanted to? She wanted to trust them; she wanted to spill all her secrets…especially to those two. They lov…they cared deeply for her.

Did she feel the same? Did she want too?

Freya tore her eyes from whatever she wasn't looking and drug them to the sky, which was crying for her.

The question wasn't about them or how they would hurt her, or anything of the sort. The question was did she want these bonds? Did she want these emotions, these people…?

Freya knew without a doubt that she did want it. She wanted to stop feeling alone; she wanted to stop being separated. She wanted what her parents had, what her grandfather had more than once.

There was no doubt about it, she wanted it, and she probably needed it too.

But was it worth it? All these people before her felt that because they had risked it.

But that other voice inside of her head responded with the counter. Yes they risked it, but in the end, every situation, every couple, ended up on the wrong side of that bet. It was like Tsunade and her betting…

They had good times…but it was like all that happiness was based on borrowed time.

There was never enough time for the happiness…but everyone felt it was worth it.

Should she risk it?

Even with what she knew? Was it worth it with the nature of her mission?

That borrowed time wouldn't long; it would be so short…

But wasn't that what it was about? Wasn't that what others always said? As a ninja or a hunter, your life was borrowed time. Any minute you could be taken out by an enemy, whether they are stronger than you or not.

Was love, bonds in general, the same risk, the same bet, as being what she was?

If it was, then why wouldn't she risk it? If it was, Freya was already making the gamble with her life at stake. Was her life worth more than the emotional pain would be?

Sometimes she wasn't so sure.

Why did everything become so complicated? After everything that happened between those cursed Uchiha, she had finally settled own, almost content with her fellow half demons. The half demon princess had finally gotten over her past; she had finally put it behind her. And yet, after seeing that group and accidently bringing them into the past to save them, they had changed her. Her feelings of content were violently replaced with confusion and desire. There was just something about the two of them that made her want them, that made her feel as if they were her destiny.

Just like she had come to terms and realized that she wanted those bonds, she knew that she wanted, no _needed _them.

But how could fate be so cruel?

Her mission...

The risk…

The debate and analysis of bonds, if the risk was worth it, and those two ended with no warning. Freya was so deep in thought, deep within herself, her mind, that her guard had completely fallen.

There was no warning, nor a chance to defend.

Freya had been so worried about the pain of her heart, about emotional and mental pain, that the thought of physical pain didn't even register.

And for the first couple minutes after the attack had struck her unawares, she didn't even register this new physical pain. Nor the damage it was doing to her body. Her mind, it seemed, was taking too much time coming from deep inside of her to the reality world.

~~XX~~

The Demon Queen didn't concern herself with the questions that immediately arose from the group at her command, instead she turned toward the two half demons.

"Did you send the message I requested?"

The female red headed half demon nodded. "The Hokage, we were informed by the summon, received the scroll and has agreed to send at least five of her ninja. She has no more that she can spare."

Her male partner continued where she left off. "She will be sending four ANBU and one unknown."

The demon nodded and focused once more on the humans. "As of right now, I am sending you on a mission as hunters. Akatsuki has caught two Jinchuriki and are doing the sealing on them in a day. You mission is to wipe them out, got it?"

They nodded, but Shika had a few questions. But he wasn't stupid enough to think that any of his questions would get answered, or be received positively, so he just asked one pertaining to what she ordered.

"Who will be fighting who? Where is the enemy's location?"

She tilted her head and thought about it. "You decide, but remember, they all have to be killed, so spread out your forces wisely. This job needs to be quick, because your leader is in trouble. Here is the location: it's a map with a big red X, marking the spot. Now go, you are wasting time." She commanded as tossed the scroll at them

The group wasted no time as they grabbed their stuff, and ran right out the door without any more comments or any delaying tactics. Though there were two things that no one seemed to notice: the half-demons had stayed behind, nor the fact that the Queen had said "your leader is in trouble."

Or maybe they did hear the last part, and that was why they wasted no time.

Sasuke had grabbed the scroll with the location marked as they left their base. The flame Shinobi quickly ran his eyes across it with his Sharingan, and then lit it up. Only after it was nothing but ashes, scattered to the four winds of course, did he start voicing what he had seen.

"The base seemed to be in between Otogakure and Amegakure…" the once Avenger trailed off as his mind tried to make sense of the information. "The location seemed, at least to my eye, to serve two purposes. One was as a barrier between Orochimaru and his Sound Village."

Sasuke didn't even have to finish because Shika did it for him. 'It's also a barrier and last stand defense against anyone trying to get in to Rain. Which makes sense, especially since we have taken the offense this time, but I can only assume by the sound of your voice and hesitation, that this base wasn't there in the other time line?"

The Uchiha nodded his confirmation. "It was actually a base that Snake bastard had, which is why I was confused. That was the base where I first meet Karin, but as soon as I saw it and left, something had happened and Orochimaru had moved Karin away from it. Maybe he felt that his threat was turning against him?"

Temari stepped up into the conversation next. "That makes more sense. He probably made it in the first place to keep an eye on Akatsuki, but when toward the end they were coming out of the closet so to speak."

"So do you propose that the reason they took it the first time around was because it was a reason that they weren't going to stay hidden anymore? That this was their first launch of an attack?" Kankuro questioned as they came out of the forest only to run for ten minutes and back into another one.

"It makes sense, especially this time around, seeing as we haven't given them much of a choice. They need the one-tail and nine-tails the most—they are the strongest after all. So are they going after the others to build up their power? That was what we had figured before…but after that last attack, it seems like they are done playing…almost desperate." Hinata added her two senses in.

Neji could see the logic. "Maybe it's because of how easy—to them, not us—we took out four of their members in one go. Last time we did no such thing. First it was Sasori, but then we did a double kill with Hidan and his partner. But it was never more than one, except for Shika's battle…so maybe we forced their hand?"

Shika took in all the information that his comrades had presented him and it was clear to him. "Neji you're right; all of you are right. We forced their hand, their desperate. They're afraid that if they waste any more time then they will lose. So no there is no doubt that wherever we find them, they will be in the process of a sealing. The only real question is if Madara will be there, because if so, we are shit out of luck."

~~XX~~

Her eyes closed without a second thought or will on her part. It had been so long since she had truly been out of it. And even then there was never any pain involved in it…well, physical at least.

There had only been a few times that her mind had relocated her deep inside of herself…after watching her mother and grandmother murdered in front of her, hearing that the First Hokage and his brother were considering the rumor, on top of the fact that he fought Madara—and killed him—the last had been when she had heard that Minato knew her secrets, the ones she tried to keep from him for so long. Well, the massacre was automatically included in that, there was no questions—why wouldn't she freak out after she killed her sister, mother, and what was left of her village?

She only went this deep when her mind, body, and soul were in such deep turmoil. She had figured that after her soul had been completed there would be no more of that bullshit, but here she was. Why did bad things always happen when she did this?

She knew that her body being physically abused, but her mind wasn't letting her feel it. As she started to come out of it more, her touch senses were returning, but only the one that let her feel her skin. She could feel that hot liquid running all over her skin, every bit of skin.

She felt something again; she wondered if what she felt just then was a sword? The touch seemed to be curvy with teeth…

Yet, it seemed like forever and a day before her mind had surfaced, and by then the pain had stopped—the addition of pain, that is...what she had experienced while her head was "stuck in the ground" was still there, but as the seconds went on, it started to become a dull, but painful, ache. When her mind returned the sight to her eyes she saw something that warmed, terrified, and was flat out painful to see.

Her childhood loves, closest friends, and of course pillows, in fighting positions right in front of her, protecting her.

Was she still in her childhood? Did nothing really happen? Did she really never known Madara, Orochimaru, Minato, or the next generation's heirs? Did she never meet with those who she was afraid to see as mates?

Or did they somehow break their seals just to come to her rescue? If this was so, where those mates of hers? Weren't mates supposed to know when her heart was pained? Weren't they supposed to know when her body was a mess? When she was swimming in a pool of her own blood?

The growls of her friends and guardians slammed her back into reality, as did the fight they entered.

But she was confused. If she had mates, then why were they not the ones seeking revenge? Why were two of the Demon Council doing so?

Her head ached, and when she held it a painful hiss escaped her mouth, and she pulled it back and saw the blood.

Her hair was pure red now…as was her skin…it was no longer the pale white it had been.

Just what had happened to this body of hers while her mind was retreated into itself?

~~XX~~

Shika's mind started running at top speeds. "Maybe if we have those Ninja from the Leaf hold him off, Naruto and I will be trying our damnest to kill Pein off as quickly as possible. Neji and Sasuke you are on Itachi duty, between the two of your Kekkai Genkai, you should be able to do okay. The female member…I want Kankuro and Hinata on her. To be honest, I'm still not sure what her Jutsu are, considering we got her last time _because_ of her attachment to Pein. That leaves Kisame and Zetsu. Gaara and Temari I assign Kisame to you because you're long distant fighters, but beware his water. Temari your Wind attacks it won't matter, but Gaara, your sand will be difficult to use."

Gaara understood. "It's the Charka problem. Everyone else has mostly Charka centered attacks, or rather the Jutsus. His sword absorbs it, but if I can get it away from him, and use my sand to keep it away, then we'll be fine. That just leaves me to find a way to harden my sand, so that he can't summon it or whatever."

With that explained, and most of the battle figured out, Shika knew he had trouble with finding who to fight against Zetsu…he chuckled; it seemed he always forgot about those two. Quickly he looked behind him and motioned for the two half demons to approach, and when they were close enough he filled them in on their part.

"We need you to take care of and distract Zetsu. We don't want to give him time to use any of his shifting abilities, so if you can keep him on his toes, then we won't have to worry if the person we are depending on to help us kill the enemy is in fact, the enemy."

Lezara didn't hesitate in her response. "Don't worry, we have him covered."

Once that was taken care of, he turned toward their Kages. "Pein is going to be the most powerful, besides Madara. To be honest, you are going to need Sasuke as well. So if worse comes to worse, and the Leaf Ninja are killed while keeping him occupied, I will switch with Gaara. This way, Pein is dead no matter what. Before, he could barely handle Naruto at eight, and if we add yours Gaara, then we won't need to risk Naruto going all out with all Nine Tails."

Naruto chuckled. "Do you really believe that I the same strength, or any of us are, that we were during the War? If I have to go beyond four this time, we have a problem. And Gaara doesn't even need to go a tail; he has enough on his own without it, just like the rest of us."

With a quick verbal confirmation, they agreed onto the plan and doubled their speed. They would be at the hideout in less than ten minutes at the rate they were going.

~~XX~~

There were a total of five ninjas in formation running through the treetops at top speed.

"Inu- taichou! How far till we get to the rondevu point?" the ANBU Shinobi behind him asked him through hand signals.

The man leading them, but running behind the one who asked, answered with words instead of responded the way the other asked. "In two minutes we will be coming upon them, but I want all of you to listen up, especially our newest team member. When we get on the field, I am not in charge. If ANY of the others give you a command, you obey him or her. Got it?"

"Hai!" was chorused among the others and they continued on.

Exactly two minutes later, they came across a group of eight people hunched down watching a cave. When they landed behind they recognized every single one of the ninja in front of them, except the two standing toward the side, their charka felt off.

Without wasting time, the Nara explained the plan. They were to distract and THE Uchiha Madara.

The three ANBU knew that they would die before the others—kids—would defeat their selective target. They could see the looks in their taichou and the new member, those two believed they would survive this battle. Was it because those two had experience and personal relationships with their new commanders?

No doubt, but their Hokage had commanded that they do what they can in this fight. This fight was for their village and for their Kage. There would be no way that they would give the others the longest amount of them they could give. They just hoped that it would be enough.

~~XX~~

Freya was strong, stronger than most, but she was fragile. It was something that she kept hidden and didn't want anyone to know. She was the princess and direct heir to the demon throne and because of this she could never show any weakness. She trained herself to not feel pain, but if it passed her threshold, she tried her damnest to keep it hidden and off of her face. But there were some times when it would slip.

Right now was one of those times.

Whatever torture they put her body through, caused more than enough agony to cross her pain threshold. And combined with the thought and seeing it, of her precious and longest friends getting hurt. She broke.

Freya had never wanted to become attached to others, even if for her sanity and just for herself she needed. Those two didn't even have to try to worm their way into her heart. It was as if as soon as she saw them, and even before then, that a place in there was always for them.

And just the thought of something happening to them, was beyond devastating to her. When she had heard that Shukaku was captured and sealed inside of a boy she almost lost control of herself—she would have destroyed that village. But she held herself in check, reassuring herself that nothing else would happen to him. Then he gets taken by Akatsuki? That just reaffirmed her mission against them.

Kyuubi was a different story. When she found out that he was inside of that Uzumaki bitch, and so close too, she almost killed the host. Even her husband couldn't stop her, but when Kyuubi took over her body and reminded her that if she died, he did as well, she stopped. Never again did that woman go near her.

And now? They were ready to die to defend her in her weakened state. Did they not understand that if they did she would as well?

Those thoughts combined with the pain, made her voice echo it with cries that attacked both of their hearts. Without a second though, they acted on instinct: they moved with speed they weren't sure they possessed. They stood in front of her ready to do anything to help or defend her.

They knew if she was crying out in pain, they couldn't waste time fighting those two who hurt her. This needed to end, they had to get her to safety, and wait until she healed.

~~XX~~

Before the Leaf ANBU knew what was happening, the ones they had labeled as kids had moved with a speed none of them could watch, and blew up—or it looked like it—the cave.

With this attack the enemy had no choice but to evacuate their base. When they came out and stood in front of it, there was no sign of a host. So the damned things were still inside, if there was more than one. Hoakge-sama hadn't told them if there were going to be any, just that there might be more than one.

This wasn't one of those Chuunin matches where the ninja are assigned someone. This wasn't a "one by one" where each group went with their chosen.

No, this was an "all for one" attack.

As soon as the Uchiha, Itachi, was out the younger one was on top of him, giving him no time to do anything but defend with a kunai. But the ANBU had never seen anyone really defend or do it long when it was a kunai against a sword. It seemed from the sound the male Hyuuga made that he expected, but didn't like how the younger Uchiha was acting.

Of course the others were just a tad bit slower; Uzumaki and Nara launched their attacks a split second later against the leader: Pein. Next up was, in complete sync—with surprised the ANBU—were the male sand Shinobi and the Hyuuga girl against the only female member of Akatsuki.

The two who had the weird chakra that reminded them a little of Kyuubi's and the other two Suna Shinobi waited and stayed back for a few seconds because their targets were nowhere in sight.

But the group from Konoha's was…with a deep breath they took, before they all launched themselves into their assault on the older Uchiha.

~~XX~~

The two Demon Lords only had to wait a few seconds before something happened after their retreat. The blue one started rocking back and forth before he fell to the ground. The plant ninja held himself up, but he was on the verge of falling over as well.

"Kisame," the black half hissed.

"We need to go, Leader-sama is summoning us." the white half informed before they started sinking into the ground.

The blue fish man just growled at him as he picked himself up. Once he did that, he flew through quite a few hand signs, and then he disappeared into a puddle of water.

After they left, the two demons shrunk in size, and curled around their Mistress, very careful not hurt her injuries.

Freya knew she needed to follow them. No doubt the others launched an attack on Akatsuki. That had been her plan after all.

Once she had taken out the four members, she had sent a summon on her way back to the base to the Hokage informing her of what had happened. No doubt those five would be meeting her group…was it still her group? Or had she forfeited that right once she abandoned and banished them all?

She moved to get up; she didn't have time to waste. She was worried again…were they strong enough to think on the final members? What about Sasuke? Could he take out Itachi knowing there was a possibility that he could reverse the possession?

No…he knew. Her flame had banished that hope as soon as she had given him the lesson in possessions. The time limit depended on how strong their will was, or if the rogue left as quickly as it had come. Itachi was a strong son of a bitch, but for it to last this long? If he was lucky, the first time he meet Naruto in the time line he was probably on his last legs struggling against the demon.

It was too late now.

Freya's eyes searched the sky as she rested, because as soon as she could block the pain, her ass was going to be with her team…her family.

~~XX~~

Itachi was pissing Sasuke off enough for the younger to think it was his older brother. But the real question was how the fuck did this rogue know that Sasuke was fucking Neji? Not only that, but how did he know that Sasuke had, during his dark avenger phase, wanted to repopulate his clan?

Sasuke couldn't remember shouting that out to the rooftops, but only once, and that was during Team Seven's introduction…and this time around it didn't happen. So what the hell was going on?

It also didn't help that as Sasuke was contemplating this, Neji was going all emo because he couldn't bare kids, that the Rogue Itachi got them caught in some kind of Genjustu. But this was different…it felt like there was demonic charka added into it. And God only knew what was going to happen with that combination.

~~XX~~

The others weren't making any progress, but the two missing Akatsuki members showed up…smelling of their Mistress' blood. Their Mistress' mates, once they smelt the blood—they hadn't yet, thank Kami—were going to go berserk. Though it was weird because Gaara was fighting one of her attackers, maybe

This was the only real thing going on that the two half demons noticed before they remembered the Queen's reminded before they had left the base.

They had a job today, but the female half demon had made a promise, and their target had showed up.

Peyowa just sighed. "You made the promise, so you get to kill him. I will take care of our mission."

They nodded and went their separate ways.

~~XX~~

The only female ANBU knew that she had predicted her death was the truth, and it was about to happen. But as the killing blow was struck she couldn't help but notice that the male with the weird charka was going into the destroyed cave. She just prayed that Uzumaki finished their enemy of quickly…wait, where was the Nara going?

~~XX~~

When Peyowa came back to his teammate, he chuckled when he observed that she was just playing with the plant. With that woman playing around, there was no doubt that she was doing the job that the pineapple head had assigned her.

Speaking of that ninja, he had just switched with his Mistress' mate to be with his lover. So they were desperate to kill of the enemy then. Speaking of, Peyowa took a quick glance and saw Madara unoccupled and realized that was why there was the switch.

"Damnit! Stop playing woman, the Leaf are dead." he growled at the woman, who took no time following his order.

AS Zetsu took his last breath, his glaze went to Pein and he saw something he was not expecting: a red woman.

~~XX~~

Freya knew time was getting short, so whether or not her body was ready for the battle, she would still be in it.

Her body was not ready for it, but it had healed enough where the pain was manageable.

Without a second thought she was gone, with her faithful guardians at her heels, toward the battle where everyone she had come to care for was. She would not let anyone die; there was no way that she was going to leave their lives in their own hands. Bad things always seemed to happen then.

With those thoughts, her strength was renewed and the pain pushed so far back into her mind she was sure it was never going to come back.

Locating the charka of her mates, she channeled some of her demonic charka into her feet and it took her no time to get here. As she looked around she noticed two things: Madara had killed at least four people, and the life force of two inside the cave just went out.

Freya didn't waste a second and she found where the real Pein was, and she took no time in taking his head off with one of her favorite swords. With that done, she quickly existed his hiding place made sure to incapacitate each one of his paths, just to make sure they weren't able to walk around even after that fool was dead.

Through her actions, she noticed that the others took advantage of them and made damn sure their targets were killed and completely dead.

The only one left was Madara and Freya quietly walked toward where his body stood. Her body covered in her own blood, a sword completely red as well.

"You are charged as rogue, you are found to be a rogue, and your sentence is death." Freya's voice was calm, but colder than ice.

Madara laughed as he watched the One and Nine Tail rush to her side; he wasn't stupid, he could see how possessive they were. The rogue inside of him could tell that the two had claimed her.

"I'm surprised that they are supporting you, Princess. I had wondered why they had not accepted the offers that the other Rogues had sent to them. You had no doubt killed any that came close enough." He laughed, throwing his head back. "I can see why. Was it a good fuck? Good enough to—"

Neither Freya nor her minions let him get farther. Freya stabbed her sword through his mouth; Peyowa had his mini sword buried from the back to the front, straight through the heart; and Lezara had cut of his balls.

They redrew their weapons and watched the body sink down to the ground with a grim satisfaction that their mission was completed. The rain fell on them and the sense of completion fully hit them as it cleansed the group's bodies, minds, and souls.

Until a humanoid bear appeared in front of Freya and kneeled. It was only then did she remember something her mother had once told her: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch," or maybe she should have knocked on wood…

_To be continued..._


	10. Chapter 10

******MOON SAYS: **Really, I know, it's been forever. College has been taking over my life and video games, but that is no excuse. I should have still done something. Here we are the last chapter of Hunters. It seems like forever ago that I started this. And it has been (after looking at the summary stuff) I published this story in 2010! That is 2 years ago! I can't believe it's taken so long to finish this. I've never taken that long. Grr...I'm not liking myself right now.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Okay, my writing has changed. Be warned, I am a comma whore, so you may see a lot of them (or in some spaces no enough, as I did not edit this). Also, I have come to the conclusion that I like 1st person POV. If you hate it, sorry! But it's a bitch to change it (even if it's only like 5 pages long). That is the trouble I'm having with Intervention right now.

Words: 2019

Pages: 5

ENJOY!

**Hunters**

**Chapter 10**

At this moment, and no other, did I ever want to kill my sister. Half sister, but who cares about technicalities? The point is that I had just come to my decision. How could I stick with it if this damn demon was going to destroy that?

Damn it! Why could I never get a break? I finally decided to stop and accept my mate. I wanted to let my guard down and let myself have a family. People who actually accepted me for me, and loved me for me.

I looked around and saw my family. Their eyes were hard, ready to protect everyone against him (including me), from this unknown demon.

I chucked inside my head at the thought that my new family was a few steps ahead of me. They were quite paranoid. No doubt, they were thinking this could be truck. I can't believe that I didn't think of this first. This demon could be a trap—a fake messenger that attacks when our guard is down.

I steeled myself as I waved a hand toward it, effectively given it permission to speak its message.

"Thank you Princess. My Queen sends her congratulations on how far you have come, and how well you have accomplished your mission so far. But," he paused, I could see that he was trying to word this the right way so I wouldn't kill him, "she wants me to remind you that the mission is not over yet. All nine of your targets have not passed the gate; only a few remain left."

A look of pain crossed my face, before it was quickly disguised. My two half-breed hunters saw this and took action, hopefully to minimize the damage that could be done here.

"Let's get back to the village, and take care of the wounds that we have sustained. While we tend to our wounds, Mistress will take care of this," the male half-demon said as he waved his hand toward the fucking bear that should be burned.

Shika though, damn his genius mind. I could see this running through his head. It would only be a few more minutes before he figured out everything I never wanted to come to light. Every clue would finally come together, like a freaking puzzle that he just had to solve.

"I thought that your mission was taking out the rouges…we just destroyed the leader. Wasn't the nine for the nine rogues in Akatsuki?"

Good, he was confused and couldn't put that last bit together. That made me a little happy that he didn't have that one piece that he needed. Maybe I could get out of here without any damage done. I was still safe.

"You haven't told them?" the fucking bear spoke up.

If looks could kill, this thing would never be born again with the glare that I was giving him. The flinch that I got in return didn't pacify me.

"Dismissed," my voice was cruel as I hissed through my teeth.

The demon left only to be replaced by two faces that I've seen somewhere before. My mind's eye raced through my brain to see if I could place them. It was not even a few seconds before I realized that I had seen these faces from reports on my targets: these were the Jinchuriki of the seven and eight tails.

I was so close with no one knowing and right in front of my mates too. It seems I couldn't run from this anymore.

The big dark man with sunglasses looked between my two hunters and me; I could tell he was talking with his prisoner Bjuu. He kept his focus on the big threats, but I could see the cautious glances toward my mates—who were standing not even half a foot behind me to my left and right.

The other male sighed before he spoke. "We were told to come find you by the Bjuu inside of us. They would not tell us why, but I think we can guess. We can feel and smell the demonic charka coming off you in waves. We are here for judgment."

I did a quick look over of the two in front of me. They still came, even though they knew what would happen to them. After scanning their charka, I confirmed that this was indeed the seven and eight tailed Jinchuriki. While I did my confirming, my two loyal hunters spoke for me.

"Are you in possession of the Demon Lords of Seven and Eight Tails? The Lords Shichibi and Hachibi?"

They nodded and told us which had which demon sealed inside of them.

I nodded and brought my swords into position: reverse grip with the blades straight up and ended at my shoulders. My eyes hardened, demonic charka leeched form my body (what was left), and I walked toward them. My words matching my steps, and only stopped when my body stopped. The others gasped as they saw me approach and at my words. I knew instantly two things: one, Shika knew everything at that point, and two were that the others were still confused (or refused to believe what I was about to do).

"You are charged as rogue, you are found to be a rogue, and your sentence is death."

My words let loose many protests. I felt Naruto try and run to me. I heard him beg me to stop, but I couldn't. Law was the law…right?

The blades in my hands rose up, sliced their heads off, and came to rest in position where my arms looked to hug right under my neck, and my chin rested in the resting in the crooks of my arms.

Naruto cried "NO!" at me, but I didn't stop there. I cast Fire, burning the rogue's bodies to ashes. Peyowa added his own to make the burning go faster.

Gaara had not cried out or said anything until the bodies were gone. His voice was soft, but we all heard his confusion and something I didn't want to place.

"Why did you label them as rogues?"

My heart broke because I knew he and Naruto were thinking the same thing—weren't they the same as these Jinchuriki?

Before I could answer, Shika cut in.

"These aren't the first Jinchuriki you've killed. You've killed all the others haven't you? With these two dead, the only ones that are left are Naruto and Gaara. I don't get it," Shika started, quite confused, "Jinchuriki have Demon Lords inside of them. They run the High Council—they aren't rogues! So why kill them? They weren't traitors…"

I sheathed my weapons; my body sagged, showing how tried I truly was. My voice did not leave any doubt of my true feelings either. I laid it all out...well, most of it.

"Any demon that leaves our world is labeled a rogue—that is if they leave without permission." I explained. "The ones that are taken like they have, forced to leave against their will, we have no idea of their corruption, taint, or that they are warped. To protect our world, we do anything and everything."

I chuckled darkly. "Tell me this: if ones among your highest ranks were taken out by force, we didn't know anything. These Lords know almost all the secrets about our world—secrets that could destroy us all. So we have to make sure that everyone is protected—especially your world."

My second in commands promised to explain more to the others if they left my mates and me alone. There was other stuff that I could only talk to them about. These things were only for their ears—our dirty laundry wasn't going to be aired out.

Sasuke waited until the others were gone before he raised my bowed head to meet his eyes. He kissed my forehead before he whispered to me—knowing my mates could hear him.

"For once be selfish love, if anyone deserves it, it's you," he paused before he spoke to me one last time. "When you get settled here and healed up, check Neji out. The Rogue we fought did some weird Genjutsu that was laced with demonic charka that seeped into Neji."

My eyes were aware then, instead of the dullness, they were before. "Get him quarantined now!" I hissed, "have Lezara look him over, but don't for Kami's sake let him touch, look, speak to anyone!"

Sasuke nodded and disappeared to make sure that his lover was okay.

Silence greeted our newly alone status. What were we supposed to say? Hey, I was sent here to kill the both of you, but, well, instead we became mates. Therefore…I can't kill you now.

I sighed, more silence. It seemed that I had patient mates—at least at this moment. They were going to wait me out, assholes.

Finally, I had to speak.

"I don't know what was going to happen in the beginning, to be honest. I had refused to think about killing my two Guardians, Kyuubi and Shukaku. Could I have done it?" I mused, unsure of the answer. "I don't know. However, once I found out the two of you were m mates…there was no way in hell I could have done it. But the fact was law is the law—and it hurt so much."

"That's why you wouldn't let us near you at first." Gaara mused. "You hid the truth from yourself—both of them: the mission and the fact that your targets for death were your mates."

I still couldn't look at them, but I nodded.

"And the rogue army was trying to get us to lead them, because to a hunter a rogue is a rogue. They knew we were hunted too." Naruto considered as he pieced it together. "This is why you kept us close, keep your enemies close right? That and subconsciously you knew that we were mates. You never intended to tell us anything at all." His voice at the end accused me.

U spun around, my eyes on fire at his accusation. "Of course I never wanted or intended too!" I spat at him, neither flinched. "I was either going to kill you both or never be near you again. Either way, we could never see each other after this was through. Maybe I didn't want anyone to be burdened with this knowledge—not me and certainly not either of you!"

I took a few deep breathes, ignored any expression or emotions coming off them, and I continued. "Never did I intend to take this," I waved a hand between the three of us, "any further than it was. But I succumbed, and we…" I trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud. "I fell in love with the two of you, I let myself feel something, and now I can't kill Gaara or Naruto. But the law says that I must kill any and all rogues."

Tears…those damn things just fell and wouldn't stop. Both tried to come to me, to hold me, to comfort me—but I wouldn't let them. I backed away and pleaded with them. "Please stay away from me. Next time I see you, I will have to take your lives"

Then, I ran from the wounded cries of my mates, with my heart finally shattering.

~Hunters~

The tears had finally stopped, but my vice reflected my shattered heart.

"Why," I asked my beloved aunt—this one was the "Mother," her lap was where I laid my head, with her fingers running through my hair. "Why must I continue to hurt and be broken every time I try? This time has to be the last. I can't take any more. Their isn't nothing left to break!"

I took a deep breath, and let myself go. "Please let me die."

The little one almost screamed. "NEVER!"

My beloved mother-aunt spoke softly and lovingly. "There is a reason why we brought you back this time, and put them in your path."

The old one crackled. "This time, you can have your happy ever after."

_**Fin…maybe?**_


	11. Epilogue

**MOON SAYS**: Hello! And welcome to the end of Hunters. Final everything for this story. It's in first person again, and well, I'm sad to see it go. A little, but at least I don't have to worry about this one until I get into a editing phase.

WORDS: 1258

PAGES: 2

ENJOY!

**Hunters**

**Epilogue**

I walked back into the village, heading for my home when I heard a scream…a baby scream.

I froze; why the hell was there a baby in this village? I hadn't been gone that long. Did Hinata or Temari get pregnant?

On the other hand, did we get more people in this village? Not that I minded, but what was that idiot thinking?

I ran as fast as I could. Peyowa and Gaara were running at my sides, no doubt as confused as I was.

I skidded to a halt at the place I traced the cry from—Sasuke's house. Did he get a mistress? Did Neji die, and Sasuke replaced his lover with a woman?

I threw open the doors, and my companions and I used every ounce of speed we had to get to where everyone in the house was located.

My mind was about to explode with what I saw. Lezara had delivered Sasuke's baby. The other looked almost dead on the bed—why did women choose to have kids when it almost killed them? Here was the real kicker: the mother, with blood everywhere, was Neji.

I double checked the smell of the blood. It smelled like Neji, but with a tad difference—it had a female tint to it.

What the hell? I would have spoken, but what I saw kind of broke me.

My mate on the other hand wasn't broken. "What the fuck is going on here?"

My childhood friend saw me and did a double take at my face. Apparently, I was told afterward, that my face reflected my exploded mind.

Neji was male…males can't have babies.

Peyowa growled, "Explain now!" he voice left no room for argument and his mate (Lezara) rushed to the three of us and she did.

"We couldn't wait for you to come back Mistress from your mission in the Demon World—you know that time is reflected differently. I was worried about Neji, and what the demonic charka would do to him." She chuckled nervously at us, especially me. "It made Neji…a girl."

For five minutes (they counted, kept track, and remembered) I just stared at them with a blank face. Until my mind seem to resort and rebooted itself.

"Really?" was all I could ask.

Lezara nodded. "Apparently, the rogue was mocking them both that Sasuke's plan to rebuild his clan was useless because Neji was male and couldn't have kids. Mocking ensued about no repopulating the Uchiha clan."

They let me adjust to this knowledge, hoping that I could add something. Then it clicked as I thought about demons. "Oh dear, I forgot something."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow before Neji snapped and demanded to know what the hell I forgot. Mother hen much? Or was it hormones and PMSing?

"Demons don't like homosexuals at all. That and combined with the fact that Itachi wanting nothing more than to protect, help, and save Sasuke. Because Itachi did everything for Sasuke, when he was taken over by the rogue this was all that was left of Itachi. The rogue "absorbed" Itachi in a way, and because the Uchiha was consumed with Sasuke, the rogue kind of inherited that as well. So he mocked them, because really what else are they going to do? And because of this obsession of Itachi's, the rogue attack Neji and the desires of death and helping mixed."

Sasuke shrugged. "Can't look a gift horse in the mouth, right?"

Neji, of course, glared at him, but Sasuke shrugged it off. No one matched the Uchiha death glare, and the only ones that were immune were my mates and I. The others were all affected in some way, shape, or form.

I was still freaked out at the sex change by demonic charka that I just left. Gaara had to half carry me home because the shock was becoming too much for me.

When we got home, Naruto took one look at us and knew immediately what had happened. Later, I was the one mocked for not keeping my emotions in check. That is not to say Gaara was effected by the news, but he held it in. I think mostly it was because it wasn't his nature, and add to the fact that I was almost comatose at the knowledge—someone had to help me. Naruto grabbed the other side of me and we all sat down together on the bed.

While we all cuddled—as it had been a year since we had all been together—we exchanged stories of what happened to each of us. Naruto filled us in on what happened in the year since we left for that stupid mission in the demon world. If I had no that even if I took Peyowa with me, it would have taken that long, I would have left his ass at home and took both of my mates with me.

After my aunts had basically given me permission to keep my mates and not kill them, I went back to the village to be with them. My mates waited for me as I explained everything to them, leaving nothing out. Especially the price I had to pay for my happy ever after: a mission involving me rebuilding the High Council.

First thing we did was separate my mates and their Bjuu. I sent them back to the demon world for them to get a head start on my new mission, while I choose my partners (I could only bring two with me).

I knew I wanted to make this as quick as possible; I still had to look over Neji and his weird condition after all. I took Peyowa because I thought with his experience, it would make the mission go faster, and I choose Gaara (because he was my mate and he could keep his temper in check). I left Lezara in charge of Neji; she was supposed to watch over him, because she was the medic of our group.

When Naruto told us it had taken over a year, I was beyond pissed. I had spent too much time away from him, one of my mates. In my absence, he ran the village, which was fine—even though he added to our numbers (just a little). At this point, when we were back together, I didn't give a shit.

I was with my mates—what more could I want?

"So…you realize that I want a baby too?" Naruto piped up when we were done sharing our year apart.

My eyes bugged out and I think I collapsed (if you can do this in a bed). These bastards just laughed as they held me close.

A baby huh? They don't ask for much do they?

"You know, now I'm curious as well. How long did it take Sasuke to get Neji pregnant? Do you think we can beat that time?" Gaara pressed on, following Narrator's train of thought and egging my other mate on.

"Damn it! Sasuke beat me!" Naruto growled. "We just have to have twins now."

When they looked at me, their faces half serious and half amused, I think I died…or at least my heart stopped beating. This happy ever after was going to hurt a great deal, if these two got their way.

"Freya? Freya?" Gaara squeezed me gently, "are you okay?"

"I hope so…if she isn't, how are we going to have twins?"

At that point, was it too much to ask for just a few years ALONE with my mates?

_Fin_


End file.
